School is one of the most important aspects of your teen’s life, and habits she forms now may be carried with her for years to come. What can you do to help make sure your teen is the best student she can be? Try following these tips:
Get Involved
Your engagement can help your teen achieve her full potential as a student. Regularly ask her how her school day went, and what she learned. Learn who are her favorite teachers, and why. This dialogue will keep you informed on what is happening in her classes, how well she is retaining information, and highlight areas of particular interest (or disinterest!). Show additional support by attending parent’s nights as well as extra-curricular events your teen is involved in.
Set a Schedule
Working within a schedule improves a teen’s productivity. Whether time is spent doing homework, chores or hanging out with friends, sticking to a daily schedule will help your teen maximize her time and energy. She can avoid unnecessary stress and last minute cramming if she prepares for tests and project deadlines by studying for a set amount each day. Also, make sure to eliminate distractions including cell phones, Facebook and TV during study hours to help her stay focused.
Promote Health
Practicing healthy habits falls right in line with setting a schedule. It’s important your teen follows healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits, as they directly contribute to happiness and efficiency. Exercise helps blow off steam and reduce stress, and eating a balanced diet stabilizes energy throughout the day. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar lead to sluggishness and feeling blah, so instead, load your teen up on colorful veggies, nuts and berries, fish and whole grains to help keep her brain at peak performance.