TEENS & TWEENS
WORDS BY JENNIFER THOMPSON
The Back-to-School Transition How to support your teen as they head back to school.
Find a good place in the house, that is free from distractions, for them to work. Consider putting up a family calendar so they know what is going on not only in their lives, but with the family as well, so that they can better prepare themselves for their work ahead.
It’s hard to believe that school is almost in session and that the long stretch of summer days are about to come to an end. If your teen has been sleeping until the afternoon and staying up all night, you might be wondering how in the world they’ll be ready to get up and get going in just a few days — along with other things. Here are some tips for supporting them not only with their sleep schedule, but also emotional support, getting back into the school routine, organization and more as they transition into the school year.
Provide Emotional Support When our kids are younger, the physical demands are challenging. When they grow, the needs shift from the physical to the emotional, which comes with its own set of challenges.
A great way to support your teen emotionally is to be available. When your teen is ready to talk — talk. It may not be the most convenient time, but you won’t regret taking the time to engage in the conversation.
Also, ask questions. Ask your teen how they are feeling about the school year. What fears are they experiencing? What are they
Also, talk about the amount of time they will need to get ready for school and consider time savers, like picking out your clothes the day before and having your backpack packed up and ready to go.
excited about? If they are nervous, discuss specific scenarios with them. If they are attending a new school, find out when the orientation will be and if they need some extra time walking the halls. If so, contact the principal to schedule a special time for them to tour the building.
In a time when anxiety is on the rise with teens, be aware of your child’s needs and know there is emotional support available in the form of counseling services. It’s great to normalize mental health, just like we normalize physical health — especially for our teens.
Get Back Into the School Routine It’s recommended that teens receive 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night. Some teens will do better trying to acclimate to the school schedule a week or two before
break is over. For those kids, they may want to start to wake up earlier, and try to get to bed earlier to prepare for what’s around the corner.
Some kids won’t need this preparation and will just naturally adjust once the school schedule kicks in. There isn’t a right or a wrong way. Just do what is best for your child.
Brush Up on School Skills In the weeks leading up to school, challenge your teen to read a book and talk to you about what they’ve read. Have them work on a personal budget that includes any money they may need to make, or save, for the upcoming year. Talk about the classes they have signed up for and what they hope to learn in those classes. Once school starts, they will have plenty of work to do and will hopefully find that it all comes back to them pretty quickly.
Get Organized Heading back to school means it’s time to get organized. Make sure your teen has all of the supplies they need for their classes. Help them to come up with a good after-school routine that takes their extracurriculars, work schedule and other commitments in mind.
Whether your teen is lamenting the end of summer, or gearing up for the year ahead, with these tips hopefully you will find both you and your teen are ready for the challenges, and excitement, that comes with the start of the school year.
August 2022 I INDYSCHILD.COM
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