Help your teen get off to a great start this year!
Whether it’s your teen’s first year in high school or his last, there are a few simple things you can do now to help him have a successful school year:
• Meet with your teen’s teachers. Do this at back-to-school night or schedule an appointment. Opening lines of communication early will make it easier for you to work together if a problem arises.
• Write down the names and email addresses of your teen’s teachers. Also write down contact information for the principal, the attendance office and your teen’s school counselor. Keep the information handy for easy access throughout the year. Follow the school on social media, too.
• Plan to attend the school events that involve your teen. You’ll have fun, you’ll show that you care about your teen and his school, and you’ll get to meet other parents. These contacts will be useful when your teen tells you things like he’s the only student who has a curfew.
• Make it clear that there will be homework time at your house every day. Homework is essential in high school. Your teen can decide when to do homework, but not whether to do it.
• Check with his counselor to make sure your teen is on track to graduate and attend college. Even if he isn’t sure he wants to go to college, he should take courses that leave that option open.
Support your teen’s learning with a homework routine
Do you sometimes feel like there’s nothing you can do when it comes to helping your teen with her homework? One way you can help is to encourage her to create a homework routine. A homework routine can help your teen learn to manage her time and take responsibility for her own learning. To establish an effective homework routine, your teen should:
• Choose a time for homework. Doing homework at the same time every day helps your teen’s brain get used to focusing at that time. Let your teen find the time that works best for her.
• Find a place for homework. It should be well-lit and free from distractions. Your teen should also make sure she has all of her supplies nearby so she isn’t constantly getting up to go find a calculator or an eraser.
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• Get organized. She should have a system for keeping track of her assignments. She should also have a calendar where she can track her progress on long-term assignments and projects.'s easy.
Ask your teen to be responsible
for limiting digital
device use
• Challenge him to reduce that time the next day. Help your teen brainstorm ways to accomplish this. Perhaps he could turn off notifications and check his phone only during specific times.
• Help him establish technology free times. These are times when digital devices should be turned off or out of reach, such as when your teen does homework, eats meals with family, reads a book, drives and goes to bed.
As your teen learns to take more responsibility for his screen time, he may be surprised at how much more he can accomplish in a day!
According to the Pew Research Center, 54% of teens say they spend too much time on their phones and other mobile devices. They feel pressured to respond immediately to social media posts, text messages and other notifications. Experts agree that this technology addiction can have a negative effect on teens’ learning and academic performance. While it’s unrealistic to think your teen will give up his phone for good, you can help him learn to limit his usage responsibly. Here’s how:
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• Encourage him to spend one day tracking the number of times he picks up his phone or other digital device and the amount of time he spends on it.
Stay involved during the high school years!
When your teen reaches high school, your involvement with her education is likely to change. Now you’re more like a coach—on the sidelines but still very involved with the game. Here are some ways to stay involved:
• Talk with your teen regularly about her classes. Discuss what she’s learning.
• Get to know your teen’s teachers, counselors and the office staff.
• Help your teen manage school projects. These can be challenging for the teenage brain. Work with her to develop a realistic plan for getting things done.
• Use all the tools available to monitor your teen’s attendance and school performance. If there is a way to check grades online, do that regularly. When progress reports or report cards are issued, discuss them with your teen.
• Be aware of the requirements for graduation. Don’t wait until the last few weeks of your teen’s senior year to discover she won’t be graduating with her class.
• Help your teen make a plan for the future. Work with the school to make sure she takes the classes she needs to be ready for a career or college after high school.
• Serve on school committees or volunteer at school events, if possible, to meet your teen’s friends and to know what’s going on in school.