| It's been about nine weeks since the new | | | | they have to work a little harder and are |
| school year began. That means that report | | | | unwilling to or don't know how. Whatever the |
| cards will be coming home soon, and not long | | | | reason, there are many things you can do as a |
| after, my phone will start ringing.Grades can | | | | parent.Ask your kids what they think |
| reveal many issuesSchool performance has a | | | | happened. You will probably get "I don't |
| way of exposing many of the struggles of the | | | | know," which is to be expected. Try asking, |
| teen years, and not just the academic | | | | "If you did know, what would it be?"Your next |
| ones.Teens tend to start the school year in | | | | step is to meet with the teachers and |
| one of three ways: the good start, the bad | | | | guidance counselor for a conference. Find out |
| start and the no start. Many kids get off to | | | | what is happening in each class. Ask lots of |
| a good start, and that's good. The next | | | | questions, such as "What do you recommend we |
| challenge is to keep it up. What happens | | | | do at this point?" Discuss the possibility of |
| occasionally, however, is that silly old | | | | any learning problems.The good news is there |
| habit of resting on our laurels after we meet | | | | are many resources that specialize in helping |
| a goal.As soon as you start resting, things | | | | students with learning or homework problems. |
| begin to slip. Kids stop studying as much, | | | | If school is becoming a power struggle or |
| they forget about homework, etc. Parents also | | | | battle ground for you and your child, seek |
| can contribute to this by thinking that the | | | | the help of a family counselor who |
| good start means that they, too, can relax | | | | specializes in working with kids and teens.No |
| and stop keeping track of how their kid is | | | | start at allEvery now and then, kids start |
| doing.A good startThe best thing to do with a | | | | the school year by not starting out at all. |
| good start is to keep it going. Kids need to | | | | You typically see all D's and F's on the |
| keep doing all the things that got them off | | | | first report card and lots of absences. If |
| to a good start. Parents need to keep a | | | | they are in class, they are disruptive or |
| watchful eye in order to stay on top of what | | | | sleeping. Usually they are skipping class and |
| is going on. Remember, a goal is not | | | | or not showing up for school at all.This kind |
| something you reach and then stop. A goal is | | | | of start tells me that something big is going |
| something you reach and then pass through on | | | | on and it's not good. It could be anything |
| the way to bigger and better things.A bad | | | | from depression to drugs, and anything in |
| startSome report cards reveal that kids have | | | | between.If your student fits this pattern, |
| gotten off to a bad start. Perhaps the first | | | | make an appointment right away with a family |
| few weeks went well, but then they got behind | | | | counselor who specializes in working with |
| and just gave up. If it's the first year of | | | | teens. This kind of start indicates that the |
| middle or high school, the issue might be one | | | | school year is at stake, and your teen is at |
| of a difficult adjustment to a new school and | | | | stake as well.Visit for tips and tools for |
| new routines.Other kids have never learned | | | | thriving during the teen years. You can also |
| how to study and organize for more than one | | | | subscribe to our f*r*e*e 5 day e-program on |
| class. I've worked with many kids who were | | | | The Top 5 Things to Never Say to Your |
| bright enough that for many years all they | | | | Teenager, from parenting coach and expert |
| had to do was show up to do well, but now | | | | Jeff Herring . |