ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — High school means harder classes, more homework, and less supervision. Establish an after-school routine every day so your 9th grader gets used to tackling assignments right away.
Heading to high school is an exciting time, but studies show expectations are higher than ever.
Noelle Leonard, PhD, a psychologist and research scientist at NYU told Ivanhoe, “They are dealing with a tremendous amount of stress. The American Psychological Association did a national survey several years ago on stress among adolescents versus adults. And what they found is that adolescents reported more stressors than adults.”
Help your teen by making sure they are exposed to their new school ahead of time. Knowing where their locker is, the layout of the buildings, and the distance between classes can relieve major stress. Also remember that it’s time for your high schooler to gain independence and responsibility, so instead of offering solutions to their issues, encourage them to problem solve or reach out to a teacher.
“Students who were coping well had parents who were very supportive of their choices, who were very supportive who didn’t give them a hard time if they got a grade that was not less than stellar,” detailed Leonard.
School psychologists say it’s also important to pay attention to new friends in high school. It’s usually not a good thing when a 9th grade student is spending time with 12th grade students – regardless of whether it’s a romantic or platonic friendship. Also look out for signs of struggle, like complaining of headaches and stomach aches to avoid going to school.
Contributors to this news report include: Hayley Hudson, Producer; Angela Clooney, Videographer and Editor.
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