Attending school is one of the most important things your teenager will do with their time. Junior high and high school will fill up a large part of your teenager’s life, and there are many things you can do to help this part of their life run smoothly.
As your child gets older, your part in their life will become less about giving commands and more about giving support. Here are some ideas on how you can help your teenager get the most out of school.
Encourage Learning to Speed Read
This is a tangible skill that will help your teenager study more quickly. The amount of reading material they will be assigned in this phase of life is significantly more than when they were in their younger years. There are many different ways to speed read, so encourage your child to try a few and decide on the method that works best for them.
Encourage Learning to Focus
When your child was younger, they may have been able to get away with not fully focusing on the material at hand. Learning to focus is important as they enter their teen years.
Help your child to figure out how to remove distractions when they are experiencing difficulty focusing. Teach them to remove possible distractions one by one, such as turning off music, powering down their smartphone, or closing any windows that open onto a loud, busy street.
Encourage Regular Study Time
Your teenager will need to learn to study regularly if they do not want to become stressed because of leaving everything until last minute. It is far more beneficial if they build the skill of setting aside a certain amount of time each day to study. This might be 20 minutes per day, or it might be three hours per day. What is important is not so much the amount of time, but your child’s consistency.
Encourage Inspiring Friendships
The individuals your child chooses to spend time with will change their course of direction over time. If your child chooses friends who inspire them to build their character and who encourage them to work hard in life, your child will generally walk down the same path. If your child has more friends who are interested only in having fun, your child’s grades will likely suffer, as could their future.
Encourage Good Nutrition
Nutrition plays an important role in giving the brain its power. Although junk food is a common part of the life of most teens, teach your child to keep the main amount of their food intake healthy. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grain carbs and healthy fats should be your child’s main source of nutrition. Consider supplements if your child is a picky eater, or if their diet is lacking in any way.
Encourage Routine
Although your teenager’s routine is sure to be different than when they were little, it is still an essential part of keeping things running smoothly. Talk to your child about regular meals, regular bedtimes and getting enough sleep each night. This will give their body a chance to know what to expect on a daily basis, and their body will then provide them with better results.
You will be your teenager’s greatest source of help as they go through these challenging years. Take every opportunity to share your wisdom with them in regards to how to live it well. With your efforts, your teenager will be sure to glean a lot from their school years.