Senior school is one of the most exciting and challenging times in our children’s lives. It may not feel like it at times, but it’s important to remain positive and help the children develop the mindset they need to overcome the pressures and challenges of senior school. Now that your child is heading off to their first year of senior school, it’s important to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead. These include dealing with new classes, teachers, and classmates. You should begin the year by talking to your child about their experience at your child’s first-class meeting. Encourage your child to raise any issues they may have and not let any school problems get to them.
If your children are starting to think about going to a senior school, you may have a few concerns. The biggest one is likely to be how to handle the pressure of being a teenager. However, to help your child prepare for this life-changing event, you can use several tools available to help in many ways. Some of these include:
- Teach them to be Organized
Your children will need to be more than just well-behaved. You need to teach them to be organized, which will help them become full, happy, productive individuals. Make sure they have all the right equipment, like a ruler, calculator, and even an erasable pen to easily correct any mistakes they might make. For your children, enjoying life is all about living in the moment. So, they need to stay focused on the present and not be distracted by the future.
- Get Involved ASAP
Nothing is more important to children starting Senior School than being involved, and that includes being involved in extracurricular activities. Choosing the correct school sport or club is important, but it’s just as important to be active in extracurricular activities, whether it’s a club, a team, a society, a youth group, a tutor, or a charity. In fact, you and a group of friends can get together and brainstorm fundraisers for schools and raise money for a social cause you believe in. Doing these things can give you a real sense of achievement and give you a head start in life.
- Speak up
Being in a new environment can be daunting when you’re a teenager. Try talking to a classmate, a teacher, or a parent about a problem you’re having. It might be a good idea to talk to someone else about anything that is going on in your life. Let them know that you have a problem and that they can help.
- Keep on Top of Homework (get into a routine)
You need to study to be a good student. But how do you keep on top of all the things an average high-school student is expected to know? What about those extracurricular activities? What about chores? How do you fit it all in? My best advice is to prioritize the weak subjects and do the required amount of studying you need to do for each assignment. No one will ask you to study for long hours, however, you have to put all your attention into studying even if you are doing it for a few hours. Consider setting up a study space where you can concentrate on your homework without any disturbance. Try getting one of those wider desks from office monster (or similar desk suppliers) that can help you organize your books and study materials in a better way so that you won’t have to go searching for missing books every now and then.
- Don’t Panic if your Grades Slip
It can be a feeling of panic when you don’t perform to the expectations you have set in the run-up to a big exam. Don’t panic. As a child, you were naturally a little bit smarter than you are now. You may have lost your way, or you may have picked up bad habits or simply lost track of time. Either way, your brain is still capable of doing the things it’s best at and can still get you by if you put in the effort.
- Embrace the change
The start of the next stage of your life is daunting. You know that time is passing and that you will be left behind if you don’t start to plan for the future. Deciding to pursue higher education is an exciting time, but it can be hampered by the fact that you are leaving your comfort zone. The thing is, it’s not impossible to make friends in your new environment. You can make friends with your new classmates or make friends with the people around you at university.
- Be proactive with friendships
During senior school, your friendships will develop because you’re moving into the next phase of your life. You’ll be more independent, and you’ll need to learn to navigate this new territory. If you’re worried about friendships, the best thing to do is be proactive about them.
It is not that easy to start your Senior High Year. You will encounter a lot of difficulties every day. If you follow the tips above, you will ease your difficulties in the future.
