On top of their education, students are encouraged to juggle work, sports, home life, and future planning. All these things take a lot of effort, organizing, and time management; skills teens are still trying to figure out. Having someone to fall back on when struggling, is essential.
“Having an overall support system really helps me just be able to communicate my struggles and hash them out in a healthy way that isn’t diminishing my mental health,” says Wilsonville High School junior, Sophia Best. Having a support system in place is key for managing challenges as a young adult.
Annie E. Casey Foundation highlights that students whose parents stay involved in school have better behavior, social skills, adaption to schools, as well as better attendance, and grades. However, many things can make this tricky. For instance: conflicting schedules. So what does it look like to be involved with your kids’ journey through high school?
Donna Parry, a mother of three girls, who have all gone through Wilsonville High School, has had plenty of practice supporting her kids through school. “We make an effort to get to know teachers and coaches so that we can be a team and support academic and athletic goals.”
Parry also notes the importance of attending a variety of events, such as games/meets, back to school nights, parent teacher conferences, practices, as well as the importance of communicating with teachers and coaches regularly to help them get to know their students more personally.
Additionally, helping to create healthy habits at home will carry over to academic acchievement. This looks like encouraging healthy study habits, sleep schedules, and a growth mindset. As high school students, it can be difficult to see the bigger picture, so it is also helpful to discuss goals, such as academic or post-graduation plans.
Being supportive to students can be as simple as helping with homework, emailing a teacher, or providing input on course selection. It could even be as simple as verbally reminding them that they are not alone in these pivotal, critical 4 years of education and personal development/maturity. No matter how simple the support, it can make a big difference.
