Homework in high school isn’t what it was when your child was in grade school. It could very well be something you have never studied and don’t know enough about to help your teen, or it could be a long drawn out project that takes your teen an entire semester to complete. Either way, there will be times that parents can’t really help their teen in the ‘traditional’ sense of sitting with them and going over the answers. You and your teen will need a few different skills up your sleeve, try these:
Know where to find usable resources. As soon as your teen knows his/her schedule, look up websites that can help in a crunch. Local college libraries are perfect resources for high school Advanced Placement students and normally offer cards for local residents.
Write down the times the teacher is available for extra help and encourage your teen get it when it is needed.
Work on your teens organizational skills. This book can help: Organizing from the Inside Out for Teenagers.
Encourage your teen by being there for him/her. You do not need to know what his/her vocabulary means to be able to look at the answer sheet and quiz your teen. This one-on-one time means a lot.
Hire a tutor. there is no shame in getting some professional help, especially if it works.
What If Nothing Works?
If you find that nothing is helping your teen with his school work, and it isn’t a discipline problem, please go to the guidance office and seek additional help. These people are trained to find problems parents may not be able to see.
More: Homework Help for Parents of Teens.
