How to Help your Child Start Good Habits in High School
Small Steps Go Places is an educational consultancy by Genevieve. She works with parents whose children aren’t yet college-ready. She meets parents where they are to help them and their children get college-ready socially, emotionally, and mentally. She does this with courses focused on organizational help, communication strategies, tools like her OPTION PLAY game, and with parent groups and coaching to customize the courses and tools.
New Year, New Habits
We’ve just embarked on a new school year and it’s the perfect time for your child to develop good habits that will take them through high school, college, and beyond! You may be wondering how your child should determine what habits to work on. My advice is to start with the end in mind.
Time Management
Help your child identify their goals and determine what they want to get out of these new habits. Then, devise a plan to work toward these goals together. Time management is at the top of the list of good habits that are important in high school. Keeping an up-to-date planner is probably one of the best things your child can do. No matter how well they keep up with academics and social activities, things get busier in high school and it’s so important to stay on top of appointments, assignments, work, and social obligations.
If your child is more of a digital, tech-savvy student, they may wish to use a digital planning app on their phone. Or, you may want to purchase them a paper planner that they can carry with them to school and write down social and academic obligations. Planning is one of those perfect life skills that’s so important to develop.
Get Involved in Meaningful Ways
Another great habit for high schoolers is to get involved in meaningful ways. This can be achieved by joining clubs that give back to the community, learning new skills, getting involved in tutoring or student government, or any activity that makes them feel good about themselves. When students participate in extra-curriculars with like-minded peers, it helps them feel like part of a team and that their contribution is valuable. Getting, and staying, involved in activities in high school is a great habit to encourage in your teen.
Develop Study Skills
Helping your teen develop good study skills is imperative! First off, encourage a comfortable spot to set up for studying. Your child should have a comfy place to sit, good lighting, all the supplies they need, and minimal distractions. Once they have their study spot set up, they need to devise a study schedule, keeping in mind that eating well, sleeping well, and social and family obligations are important too. A study schedule can be tracked in their planner and should be a date your teen keeps with themselves. This will help them maintain good grades and less stress, since they won’t be cramming last minute.
Self-Care is Important
Sleeping well and eating well are important self-care habits that are especially important for busy teens. If they’re having trouble getting breakfast before heading to school, buy some grab-and-go items that they can eat on-the-go. Or help them prep smoothies the night before. Getting to bed at the same time every night will lead to a happier, more well-rested student. This is another time that planning comes in, as the more well-organized your child is, the more time they can devote to self-care and relaxation.
Start with the End in Mind
Your most important work is ahead of your child, not behind them. Your teenager should start with the end in mind by beginning each task with a clear vision of their desired outcome. Each step they take in developing a new habit leads to the goal of that new habit becoming part of their daily routine. Help them develop a personal mission statement focusing on what they hope to achieve. This puts their goals as the focus and sets in motion their path to success. You are your child’s greatest asset and they are so lucky to have your help along their high school journey.
