10 Ways To Get Your Teen To Care About School
25September

10 Ways To Get Your Teen To Care About School

Written by Mark Lounsbury, Posted on , in Section Inspirational

It can be incredibly hard to get teens to care about how they do in school, but don't give up. This list provides 10 different ideas for how to get your teen to improve their academic performance.

1 - Set consequences for poor school performance 

Make it clear that it is not acceptable for them to fail their classes. Many teens who are doing poorly in school have parents who just don't care. By making sure that your teen understands that they will face serious penalties at home if they do not perform up to their ability, you will be providing valuable encouragement.

2 - Stay in close contact with their teachers

Try to communicate with your teen's teachers regularly. If your teen knows that you are keeping up on what they are studying and how they are doing in their classes, they will understand that they can't just skate by with you unaware.

3 - Help them with school projects 

If you're teen is having a hard time in school, try to assist them when they are working on school projects. In addition to just making things easier for them, this will give you valuable time to bond with your teen and talk to them about how school is going.

4 - Talk to them about college

If your teen dreams of going to college, it will provide a strong incentive for them to work hard in high school. Make sure your teen understands what a fantastic experience college can be in addition to the financial benefits of having a degree.

5 - Show them studies on the earnings difference between those with college and high school degrees

Don't just emphasize how fun college can be, make sure your teen understand how much more money they will earn if they are able to go to college. There have been numerous studies done which demonstrate that over the course of a lifetime, those with college degrees earn much more money.

6 - Make them get a part time job

Your teen might be performing poorly in school because they think it won't impact their future. They may believe that they can just get a job after high school and that it will be enough for them to get by. If you have them get a part time job, they will see how few job prospects there are for those who haven't gone to college.

7 - Take them to a career fair

Getting your teen interested in pursuing a specific career path can also be a great way to encourage them to put more time into their school work. Take your son or daughter to a career fair and encourage them to look into what it actually takes to end up with a good career. This should open their eyes to the importance of school.

8 - Set up a reward system for good grades

While your teen should know that there are consequences for getting bad grades, it can also be helpful to reward them if they do well. Try to find a way to show your teen that you appreciate the effort they have been putting in and think they are on the right track.

9 - Talk about your own educational experiences 

Make sure your teen understands why you think school performance is important. Talk to them about how education has impacted your life and career choices and encourage them think about how it will do the same for their life.

10 - Encourage them to choose classes they are interested in

It is much easier to do well in subjects you find interesting. Encourage your teen to choose electives that they actually find interesting and they will perform much better.