Raising teenagers can be one of the most exciting and terrifying experiences for any parent. Your teens will go through many transitional periods, affecting them into full adulthood. 

As a parent, one of the best ways to help your teen during transitional periods is by ensuring that it goes through as smoothly as possible and letting them know you are with them throughout that period. One such time is entering high school. Sadly, it doesn’t help that nearly 75% of high school students don’t think highly of their school. 

It can be a scary experience for your teen, but with proper planning and mental preparation, you can help them get excited about this new phase in their lives. Check out this article if you want to find the best ways to help your teen embrace high school.

1. Help your child familiarize themselves with their school

Transitioning from middle to high school can be nerve-wracking for parents and teenagers. One of the best ways to make the experience less daunting when the time comes is by allowing them to familiarize themselves with their new school. If your child’s school permits, you can schedule tours to see what their next school has for them. Alternatively, you can use map applications to take virtual tours. 

You can also encourage them to follow up on what’s happening at school. It can help them start to feel like they are already a part of the school, and it will boost their interest in wanting to join the school community. Before your child enrolls in high school, they would already know the clubs and other events they want to participate in. 

2. Start giving your child more agency

Your child is no longer a baby and deserves to be treated as the young adult they are becoming. A great way to prepare your child for high school is by giving them more agency, including them in important family conversations, and encouraging them to cultivate and develop their learning habits and interests. 

When your teen child feels that they are given more independence and can make choices themselves, it empowers them and boosts their confidence. This personality development will also help them excel in high school and know how and when to express themselves freely. 

Apart from giving your child more freedom, it also takes the burden of having to make decisions for them all the time. But when you include and guide them to make choices based on their preferences and interests, it can strengthen your relationship and allow for more open communication. 

3. Encourage them to cultivate a study habit

Learning and assignments at each level of education tend to get increasingly intense. In high school, it is especially critical, especially since it is the last stop before getting into college. Your child might be used to the middle school system and its workload but might get overwhelmed in high school when they don’t prepare for any workload increments. 

One of the best ways to ensure this doesn’t happen to your child is by talking to them about the changes to expect and finding ways to manage all assignments once they are in high school. You must also encourage them to develop study habits that they can use not only in high school but in college as well. 

Although their schools probably provide excellent education, you can also add to their studies at home. You can use resources like 8th grade worksheets and other learning materials to supplement their classroom studies. However, be careful not to bombard them with too much work; they also need to find time to relax. You can also seek assistance from your teachers to develop a good study schedule. 

4. Teach them how to put themselves out there

High school and meeting new kids different from the ones your child has known all their lives can be extremely intimidating. As a result, they might choose to withdraw and hide in the background. Sadly, that can affect their social lives and make them unwilling to explore new opportunities. 

Even if your child is naturally quiet, you can still encourage them to take risks and embrace new opportunities that life throws them. Teach them how to explore and ask questions, and guide them to see the importance of learning to ask questions. Show them that you are keenly interested in whatever pursuits they want to follow. Once you show your support, they will feel more comfortable venturing into new spaces. It would also help if you allowed them to make mistakes and learn valuable life lessons. 

When your child learns to have a strong sense of self, they will be able to navigate through high school and build important character traits and skills, like communication, critical thinking, and resilience. 

5. Encourage them to take pre-high school classes

The idea of living the comfortable middle school environment to one that is relatively unknown can be a very anxious time for your child. However, you can ease these thoughts by encouraging them to enroll in pre-high school classes the summer before transitioning to a new school. 

When your child takes a course like pre-algebra, not only will they have a taste of what to expect when they enter high school, but they can also have an idea of the type of workload to expect as a high school student. It might also give them more access to personalized classes, as these summer courses are more hands-on.

6. Set realistic expectations

High school is more challenging than middle school. The stakes are higher, especially where getting into a good college is concerned, and there is more work, more tests and exams, and various responsibilities. Now is the perfect time to be upfront with your child on what to expect when they enroll in high school. The last thing you should do is sugarcoat the entire experience. However, it would help if you let them know that you are prepared to support them all through. 

These are some of the best tips to help your child prepare for high school life. Most importantly, you must ensure that they know they can come to you anytime for support.