The school year tends to be hectic and, at times, extremely stressful. For kids who engage in extracurricular activities such as team sports or school clubs, balancing it all can be a strain.
Using Time Wisely
Parents can help their children to deal with the stress of daily life by teaching them time management skills. It’s important to limit time spent in front of the television or playing video games. Children who have good time management skills learn how to prioritize, eliminating the need for parents to constantly ask about completed homework assignments.
This also teaches children to take more responsibility for their own education and strive to be successful for their own sense of accomplishment. Parents who use this approach should provide guidance as needed until their child has developed a responsible attitude toward learning. After this has happened, parents can continue to show interest in what their child is studying, which subjects are giving their son or daughter trouble, etc.
Getting Extra Help
Another useful strategy for managing school-related stress is hiring a tutor. Having a tutor allows the student to gain an advantage over his or her peers, stay ahead of schoolwork, and improve in the more difficult areas.
A child who may need more assistance in math, for example, will get some much-needed practice and individual attention. He or she will feel more confident in math class and potentially learn the material well enough to explain it to a peer. In the long-run, the child will develop good study habits and discipline. This can make all the difference in a child’s education, especially if going to college is the goal.
Getting (and staying) Organized
One very simple thing parents can do is to provide their children with a day planner and encouraging its daily use. By writing down homework assignments and project or report deadlines, children can develop the habit of keeping track of their responsibilities. Regular “planner checks” by a parent will ensure the child follows through until recording dates for schoolwork and other tasks becomes routine.
For a preteen or an adolescent who is technologically inclined, parents can suggest the use of an electronic planner. There are applications for smart phones and other electronic devices which are made to help people stay organized. Many of these programs can be downloaded at no cost to the user.
The final way parents can help their children to avoid school stress is by giving them time to relax and to do something they enjoy. A child who plays sports probably enjoys it very much. Nonetheless, he or she should ideally be asked if there are other activities of interest and be given some time to engage in them.
