Parents of children in high school always find it difficult to deal and communicate with their children. Sometimes they feel helpless when they want to help their child but don’t know how. Here are ten things that parent should be aware if their child is in high school.
They need love
There is one thing that your child in high school needs. Do you have any guesses? You must feel surprised to know that the thing that they wish for is to be loved. Love is the key to reaching their heart. If you want to get closer to them or want their attention the only way is to use every single opportunity to show them, love.
They are going through a tough time in every way. They are at an age where they have to experience a difficult transition time along with their academic pressure and priorities. Everyone is well aware of this truth that this period is very crucial and everyone has experienced that same transition.
With all these changes your child in high school develops a deeper need for a place where they can feel safe or loved. You may feel that they only want to be locked in their room or be with their friends all the time. Perhaps for them, these are the places where they feel most comfortable.
You don’t have to pamper them all the time; love can be demonstrated in various ways. You can show your love by talking by asking open-ended questions and allow them to share what is their view. You must pay attention to what they have to say without any criticism. Start spending time with them by doing things they like to do or schedule one – on – one time or family time.
You can also show your love in the form of discipline that is for their betterment. Discipline is not about dictating them. You must make them understand that all the effort they are making now for their academic growth will pay them back in the form of good grades. This period is crucial for their future but doesn’t always nag for studying. Let them take a break or have some time to get them together after a period while studying.
They still need you
Even though they are in high school, they still need you. However, there are parents who allow their child in high school to make the important decision because they don’t want their kids to be angry or unhappy.
These are some of the decisions that they could have done differently. Like when they say they are Interested in Humanities/ Sociology/ Psychology? Know the correct approach to this discipline parents ask them to decide what they want.
As a parent, it is essential for you to know that whatever decision you will make even if your child is not supporting but they will respect it. If you explain the whole situation positively and openly to them, they will understand your decision. You must give them an opportunity to explain their feelings and express themselves.
This helps then in letting that you respect and care about their feelings and helps in opening the line of communication between both of you. Even if they are not the one taking the decision talking through can help them to lead to a place where they find themselves comfortable with the decision you have made for them and to know the reason behind your decision.
There are times when a compromise reaches where the concern and needs of both children and parents are satisfied. This allows them to be a part of this entire decision-making process.
They need help to manage pressure and stress
Everyone is well aware of the level of pressure and stress in high school. Your child is going through the same phase that you have gone through. They are going through even much harder time than you. They need your help to manage pressure and stress.
They are not completely grown up. They don’t know how they should handle some of the chaotic situation. To grow up instead of acting like grown up, they need your guidance. This guidance can come in the form of –
- Nightly discussions
- Dinner time chat
- Family game nights
- Weekend activities
High school children who get care and support along with advice and love of their parents grow up into productive and happy adults.
They want more responsibility
In a hurry to grow up, they are willing to prove their readiness and maturity by taking on more responsibilities. This is a way of their motivation to achieve your trust and some additional privileges. At the same time, it is a way for them to feel valued in the family.
A sense of responsibility helps them feel important to the family. When you are confident enough about your child, assign them duties and chores. Assign them something according to their abilities, and they feel confident in. Even if they want to be alone to go out or hang out with their friends and wish to be alone to do whatever they want to do still, they need your guidance and love.
They also time to unwind and relax
When it comes to high school children, parents have the tendency to nag all the time for studying. You can find them complaining every time that their kids are not studying or not paying attention to their studies.
Whenever they see their children taking the break or hanging out with friends, all this get starts. It is important that parent should understand that just like them their kids also need some time to calm down and relax.
You have to understand what kind of pressure they are going through. Everyone around them whether its school, family, peers everyone is saying the same thing this is a very crucial phase of their life. They are well aware of this thing. Let them relax so that they can cope up with this stress and pressure.
Other Things they want their parents should know
Rather than above mentioned things, there are still things that parents should be aware if their child is in high school. These five things are –
- Children want their parents to be proud of them.
- They idolize their parents.
- They care about what their parents think about them.
- They want their parents to understand them.
- They love their parents even if they don’t express it.
These are ten things that every parent should know if their child is in high school. Even if you find difficulty in dealing with your child, then you can look for online professional help that is easily available these days.