Help Teens Balance School & Work

Today’s teens are faced with a lot of pressure, especially when it comes to managing their time. Most students balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities and chores with a part-time job. The key to doing this successfully is for your teen to remember that being a student is his full-time job. Before your teen takes a part-time job, ask:
What does the job entail? Will his job at the sporting goods store involve helping customers choose the right tennis rackets, or will he be stocking shelves in the back room? Make sure that his idea of the job matches up with what he’ll actually be doing.

How will he get there? Does he have a car? Will you drive him? Can he take public transportation?

Why does he want to take the job? Will it look good on a college résumé or is he just looking for some extra cash? It’s a good idea to “try out” jobs in a field he may want to go into later in life.

When will he be working? Is it just after school or weekends, as well? Can he take extra time off during baseball season?

Who will he be working with? Have you spoken with the management to see if it is reputable? Will he be working with some of his friends?

Where is the job located? Is it in a safe neighborhood? Is it close enough for him to walk to from school?

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Combat Teens’ Common Attendance Excuses

You’ve heard them all - every excuse in the book for why she should be allowed to stay home. She’s even invented some new ones that weren’t around back when you were trying to pull one over on your parents. Here is a list of some common excuses teens use to get out of going to school - and ways to combat them:
“I don’t feel good.” This excuse has been around for as long as, well, school itself. Unless she can describe her symptoms exactly, send her to school. “If I could just sleep for an extra hour, I’d be so much more productive.” Respond that if she skips TV time tonight, she could go to bed an hour earlier. Send her to school.
“I have a project due at 2 p.m. that I haven’t started yet.” Let her know that she needs to be more organized. She shouldn’t skip her classes just to finish assignments for another one. Send her to school.
“I need to rest before the big game tonight.” School comes before extracurricular activities, and “big” events are no exception. Send her to school.
“We actually don’t have school today. I forgot to tell you.” If this could be possible, call the school to make sure.  

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Teach Your Teen That Respect is Vital in Healthy Relationships

When people talk about “teens” and “respect” in the same sentence, they are usually remarking on teens’ disrespect towards adults or teens’ self-respect. It is unusual to hear someone talk about teens’ respect for each other, even though that is equally important.  During high school, many teens begin to date. However, many of them don’t realize what a healthy relationship is. Teens who do not respect each other may find themselves in an abusive relationship. To prevent this, talk with your teen about the importance of respect in a relationship. Explain that people who respect each other:
Can talk openly to each other. Communication is key to a good relationship.

Work together to make decisions. They also support and listen to each other.

Balance their time between their relationship and their friends and family. A relationship where two people never see anyone but each other isn’t healthy.

Feel free to be themselves. People in a healthy relationship accept each other’s differences.

Remember, teens in healthy relationships are more likely to focus on school.

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Greetings from PCN

Unbelievable! We’re already counting down to the end of the school year.  It seems I just put away my snow shovel and boots - now we are talking about end of school events and summer fun.  For parents, this time of year can be difficult, with more questions than answers.  Who can provide day care?  Do we need daycare?  Who will they be hanging out with all day? What about the Prom/Graduation Parties?  These are just a few of the questions I have heard from parents.  Take time to plan for these events and your summer.  Our  website  has many helpful tips whether you are planning the party or talking about summer care.  Be sure to talk about expectations and safety - for ideas and info, check out www.safesouthdakota.com.  Decide what your family plan will be and follow through on the decisions as a family. Remember, when we get everyone involved in the process then we all have a share in the planning and responsibility.   Please call the PCN office if you have any questions or are in need of a resource. 

Enjoy summer and Happy planning. 

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