One of the most stressful times of a young person’s life is high school. The social pressures, new academic concepts and extracurricular activities they face can be overwhelming.

If you want to help your teen overcome these challenges, you could take steps to lend your support and guidance. Even though some teenagers want independence, adequate parental involvement is instrumental to their academic success.

Here are five suggestions to help your teen become successful in today’s world:

1. Offer Assistance with Studying

Planning is essential to help your teenager study while completing assignments in various subjects. Given that grades matter a lot in high school, taking time to plan for studying is vital for success, especially when your child is busy with extracurricular activities.

When your teen has a lot of subjects to cover, help them break down the studying tasks to manageable chunks. Also, get them to adhere to a calendar schedule. This way, they won’t be cramming for multiple tests in a single night. Remind them to take notes during lectures (or get a copy of the lesson hand-outs) and review them at home.

Another way to help your teenager with studying is to quiz them on ideas, facts or lessons that they find hard to understand. If the material you’re going to cover is beyond your abilities, suggest seeking help from a teacher or a classmate. You could also look for a private online tutoring services provider for academic assistance.

Once your child has finished studying, let them get a good night’s study. This way, they can recall information more easily during exam time.

2. Create a Distraction-Free Environment at Home

Students struggle to study when they’re distracted. If your teen is having trouble studying at home, give them a distraction-free, well-lit and quiet place to study for their exams and complete their assignments. This area in your house may be an isolated table in the living room or a TV-free room.

Also, check in with your teen from time to time make sure they’re studying. Distractions, such as text messaging and social media, can prevent them from getting any work done. If they’re unable to study due to technological distractions, you may need to confiscate you child’s mobile phone and other gadgets. Then, give these electronics back once they finish with their studying or homework.

Alternatively, you could install an app or a computer program that blocks certain sites during specific times. An example is restricting social media access from 6 PM to 9 PM.

3. Encourage Your Teenager to Read Books

Some teens aren’t open to the idea of reading books. Rather than read textbooks and other educational materials, they would prefer hitting up their friends on social media or watching new shows or movies on Netflix.

Reading, however, offers a multitude of benefits. According to an article from Psychology Today, this activity makes people sharper and more socially aware.

Apart from getting them to read the lessons on their textbook, encourage them to read other books. Don’t be picky about the materials they choose. Whether they prefer a light romance book or a graphic novel, the important thing is that they’re reading something that engages their minds.

4. Help Them Stay Organized

Getting organized and maintaining focus will help your teenager succeed in nearly everything they do. Schools, however, may not tackle or cover these topics explicitly. You, however, can provide parental guidance by providing organizational and time-management tips.

One effective way of instilling organizational skills is to help your child keep class details, assignments and other school information in folders or binders organized by subject or class. You can also come up with a calendar to help your teen plan their time accordingly.

5. Allot Time to Talk About School

Given that teenagers spend most of their time outside the house — in the classroom, on the field or with their friends in the mall — staying connected and engaged with them can be challenging. Although expanding social circles and doing school activities are important to high school students, parents should still serve as anchors for support, guidance, and love.

As much as possible, make an effort to speak with your child every day. This way, they’ll know that what goes on in your school matters a lot to you. When teenagers see their parents interested in their school lives, these teens are likely to take school seriously, as well.

When talking about school, listen carefully to what your teen is saying. Don’t forget to ask questions, as well. Apart from the usual “Hi, how’s your day?”, ask open-ended questions concerning their class loads. Then, offer to help them if necessary.

These strategies will help your teenager become successful in his high school life. Your involvement and support can go a long way in helping your child cope with the challenges of high school.

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