How to keep teenagers on track in schools

Teenage is a crucial year for any person. This is a year of growth and development from puberty to adulthood. It is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs between the ages of 13 to 19. Teenagers especially nowadays have a lot on their plate to handle, from schoolwork to friends, from social media to society at large. With the rapid growth in technology, the education system is also evolving these days and so are the teenagers of today. Young people have to work out their present and future while being relevant among their peers both online and offline. This is a lot of work and effort to make at such a young age. Hence, teenagers tend to lose focus and can suffer academically. At times like this, the young kids that desire independence tend to forget that they need protection, security, and direction too.

This is where parents need to be mindful and jump in to help the kids as much as they can without invading their privacy and freedom. Teenagers often fear that they do not fit in and figuring out their right place in the world may land them in trouble. So, the parents need to have open communication and ensure that they earn their kids’ confidence. You need to ensure that the kids understand that being honest will not get them in trouble or up for punishment. Apart from that, it is also important to establish your expectations with the child in an open and honest manner and create a safe place for the teenagers to express themselves without hesitation and fear. Your support can help young adolescence handle the pressure both in school and outside well.

• Be specific with your guidance/instruction:

When the kids are lacking, giving them vague feedback or criticizing them for lacking behind won’t help you or the kid to improve on their own. Instead, try to be specific while guiding your kids will make them feel secure and help them work on the weak areas quickly.

• Help your teen stay organized:

Nobody likes to be an alarm clock or a planner for their kids. You must have noticed your kids losing their stationery, books, or other important things and searching here and there in the house. Missing notebooks and homework can have a great impact on the final grades of your kids. Hence, it is important to help your kids stay organized and focused regarding their schoolwork. Help them maintain to-do lists, planners, folders, etc

• Inculcate time management skills:

Time management is one such skill that will not only help your child score good marks in school but also help further in their career or job. Living a teenage life is quite demanding and challenging nowadays. Managing time between school time, extra-curricular activities, social life, and “me time” can be overwhelming at such a young age. It may cause a lot of physical and mental strain on teenagers. Hence, parents should pay attention to the lifestyle of teenagers and help them maintain a timetable that includes the interests of teenagers as well as study time.

• Develop healthy habits and interests:

Parents should encourage kids to inculcate healthy habits that will up their skills such as playing outdoor or indoor sports, music, dancing, acting, etc, instead of regularly visiting malls and eating out all the time, watching movies every weekend.

• Be realistic and guide from your experience:

Do not try to deny the temptations that every teenager faces. Remember your days as a teenager and share your experience with the kids. It will give them the confidence to share their thoughts and feelings too if you talk to them as a supportive friend. It will only strengthen your bond with the child. Be transparent about your mistakes as a teenager. It will humanize you as a parent in the eyes of your child and help them realize that if you could overcome something like that, they can do it too.

• Help them avoid procrastination:

Help your kids learn how to avoid procrastination and make them understand the benefits of starting early. If the kids are struggling to start a project or studying for a test; help them by arranging extra classes or tuition for the subject by meeting their teachers.

• Help them prioritize and plan efficiently:

Help the kids break down important projects or tasks in a step-by-step method. Divide the duration of completion of the tasks in order to avoid getting overwhelmed. Discuss what they need to prioritize and help them complete that task first.

• Reward the process and not the result:

A lot of parents and guardians lack this aspect. People need to understand that the process of achieving is as important as the result of the satisfaction of achieving. Pay attention to the efforts of your child and reward them with extra screen time, extra pocket money, favorite food, etc.

Most teenagers have this urge to seek validation and attention, they need to be heard and feel relevant, and when they don’t get validation in a healthy way from parents, teachers, and peers. They tend to get into things that may spoil them temporarily and permanently too. Hence, parents should pay attention to the opinions of their teens and consider their point of view in taking decisions regarding their lives. They should give enough freedom to children to differentiate between right and wrong on their own too.

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