The start of the school year means changes in the whole family’s routine. Some teens welcome the return to the school routine; others resist it. Though they’re nearly grown, teenagers still need guidance and supervision. Parental oversight in reestablishing structure in the home is vital in order to set adolescents up for success in the fall.
Tip #1: Create a Schedule and Share It
For most teenagers, organization isn’t a strong suit. But it’s important for teens to understand how to use their time appropriately. Before the school year begins, parents should talk with their teens about their schedule—not just their morning schedule and school schedule, but their after-school schedule, too.
Create a schedule putting each activity in its time slot, and create a way for everyone to easily access the schedule. It could be a colorful chart, calendar, or list noting what needs to happen and when. Post it somewhere visible, like the refrigerator or their bedroom door.
Tip #2: Wake Up and Go to Bed at Set Times
Generally speaking, teenagers need eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. Teenagers with a set bedtime schedule are more likely to get adequate rest. And that means they have more energy to perform at school. Don’t wait until the night before school starts to remind teens that they need to go to bed early. A week or two before the big day, encourage them to get to bed sooner at night and to set a morning alarm, too. So as not to shock their systems, recommend they wake up and go to bed in slightly earlier increments each day. That way, they’ll be more accustomed to their new morning routine when the first day of school comes around.
Tip #3: Limit Teens’ Screen Time
Another way to ensure that teens get enough sleep is to limit their screen time, especially in the evenings. When teens are on their screens right before bed, they tend to feel less sleepy. Make device disconnection part of the nightly routine. In the hour before bed, encourage teens to turn off cell phones, computers, laptops, televisions, handheld video game devices, and other electronics that emit blue light. Less time online encourages teens to read, journal, or connect with family. And parents can follow the same guidelines: If you model healthy device management, your kids are more likely to do the same.
Tip #4: Eat Regular Meals as a Family
Life usually gets a whole lot busier when school starts. With kids juggling homework, extracurricular activities, and time with friends, it’s hard to gather the whole family together for evening meals. While it may be challenging to eat together every night, blocking off time to connect as a family around the dinner table is well worth it. To make family meals more enjoyable, everyone should turn their phones off to keep the focus on each other.
Tip #5: Work Downtime into the Routine
Living in a culture that prizes activity, many teens juggle daily routines that are chock-full of demanding classes, extracurricular activities, homework, maybe even a part-time job or college prep workshop. There’s value in productivity. But overscheduled teens can also feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Everyone needs time to unwind and recharge. If your teen doesn’t have downtime, work with them to schedule it.
Tip #6: Make Sure There’s Time to Move
Some kids love being physically active. Others need some encouragement to get moving. Either way, scheduling time for movement is important, even more so if teens don’t take physical education classes at school. And even if they do, they might still benefit from a block of time set aside to swim, play a sport, ride a bike, jump on a trampoline, or practice yoga. The benefits of exercise are well-known: it’s a huge stress reliever; it’s also been shown to bolster academic performance, improve sleep; and it may reduce symptoms of depression in both young children and teenagers.
Tip #7: Help Teens Get Organized
Some teenagers are diligent about organizing their assignments and keeping track of their responsibilities. Others may need help establishing regular routines for studying and finding the right methods for organization. There are many tools available, ranging from a simple checklist or spreadsheet to more sophisticated time-management tools. To figure out what tools a teen needs, start with a discussion. Talk with them about which subjects require more time. Help them decide if they need to rearrange their schedule as a result. They may realize they need to replace some extracurricular activities with academic responsibilities.
Tip #8: Practice Gratitude
In the fall, the pace of life intensifies, and everyone’s to-do list grows. Hence, it’s helpful for families and teens to slow down and take a few moments each day to practice gratitude. Many studies have proven that expressing appreciation for what’s good in your life boosts happiness and other positive emotions. In addition, the practice of gratitude helps teens build resilience.
Article revised from Child Mind Institute- info@childmind.org
