Raising Independent Learners: A Quick Guide for Parents of Teens

As a parent, it’s natural to want to help your teen with their homework. However, it’s important to find a balance between being supportive and overbearing. Here are some tips to help you support your teen academically without becoming a helicopter parent:

1. Ask your teen what their plan is to keep organized with their schoolwork. If they brush you off, explain that you care. If they insist on keeping you out of it, remind them that you’re there to help if they need it. Your parental superpower tool is email access to their teachers (but please keep emails to a minimum).
   
   
2. Praise your teen for having a plan and ask what strategy they have for fallbacks. The point of this conversation is to allow them to develop accountability for themselves.
   
   
3. Reassure them that you’re there to help. Teens want to make it seem like they have everything under control. That’s okay; that’s how they learn. Remember: There will be mishaps along the way, and every child is unique and learns differently.

😉Wink Note: If your kid is motivated by a reward system, then, design one together.

There will be setbacks. We all have them. Use setbacks as a redirecting tool and not as a punishment. Encourage them as often as you can, it will propel them to success.

Here are some free online homework help resources:

• Khan Academy
  
  
• Quizlet
  
  
• Check if your school has tutoring available.

Our kids are growing so fast and want to become more independent, which is completely normal. They still need us, but we can help them in different ways.

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