The end of summer can be an anxious time for back-to-schoolers with emotional difficulties.
Going back to school can be a stressful time for kids, but parents, too, have their own anxieties. Add the fact that single parents, like Angela, have the concern of her 15-year-old son with behavioral problems. Younger siblings are also affected when disruptions threaten the household.
How do parents like Angela manage the turmoil when one child seems to be at the heart of the problem? Not only are the behavioral issues a worry, but the concern for her son’s academic success adds frustration.
Scenarios like this can often leave parents feeling inadequate as if they had somehow missed the mark. Finding a solution to help their child is priority one, but it’s also a major need for the entire family,
Some of the common challenges parents face when school season starts:
Difficulty re-establishing routines – Summer vacation is a welcome reprieve when it arrives, but getting back into the routine of back to school is less so. Early wake-up time, packing lunches, catching the bus -- and parents must keep it all under control.
Rising academic demands – New school term, new grade level, new teachers, and new friends all contribute to the need for adjustments. Students with anxiety issues often find the changes overwhelming.
Increased peer pressure and bullying – Childhood has plenty of peer pressure built into it and depending on the age level it can be extremely emotional. Bullying is in a category all its own and while educators strive to combat it, the unkind behavior never completely goes away.
Managing multiple children's needs – Parents with more than one child have a variety of demands, seeing to it that each child has the support and encouragement that’s relevant to the child’s age and temperament. Their interactions with peers and academic demands will differ as they grow up.
Parents sometimes deal with emotional feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and burnout. They have the worry of work/life balance, often feeling they should do more for their children than they have time to devote. A parent’s stress only adds to that of a child’s stress, intensifying an already existing scenario.
How to Identify Common Student Struggles
Educators are tasked with having the insight to identify a students’ challenges at school. Some of the most obvious red flags that teacher’s experience with students is:
Anxiety and stress
Academic difficulties
Behavioral problems (outbursts, defiance, refusal to do schoolwork)
Truancy
Poor or no peer interaction
Addiction to cell phones and video games
Investing in Your Child's Success
Parents and teachers alike look for solutions outside of traditional education and many find answers at Sundance Canyon Academy – where focusing on the root causes of behavioral issues along with early intervention allows troubled teens to overcome many of them
and learn to gain the confidence and self-awareness they need.
Proven Ways for Parents and Teachers to Manage Teen Behavioral Problems
At Sundance Canyon Academy we have had opportunities to manage a range of behavioral issues in our young men. Here are some guiding tips on proven ways to help parents and teachers work together with young men and achieve more positive results.
Offer advice, but keep it short and sweet. Establish healthy boundaries and talk about them often so there's no confusion. Most teen boys push back when parents or teachers try to force advice on them.
Respect independence. When you give a teen respect, you are showing him you have confidence in him to manage his own ideas and opinions.
Stay calm and firm. Resist the urge to shout even when the conversation escalates.
Teach a valuable lesson. Do this while engaging in a sports activity or shared chore where you can chat at the same time as doing the activity. Ask your teens their perspective on family traditions.
Genuine praise for a job well done. Build his self-confidence when he does well, but make sure it’s sincere.
Attention is needed. Bad behavior is a way to get attention and may be a sign emotional needs are not met whether at home or school. Incorporate “I feel” statements to address their underlying needs.
Together time. Quality time is essential. Be there for him whether attending school events or asking about his day, his friends, his feelings. Take time with him if he looks sad or bewildered.
Role models have impact. Being a good influence on a child’s behavior can be as simple as being a good role model.
Be patient when they are mildly disrespectful. Disrespectful behavior is part of being a teen. Try not to over-react when he shrugs his shoulders or rolls his eyes. Shouting or disruptive behavior is not acceptable.
Rules and boundaries. Whether you realize it or not, when you are inconsistent with rules and boundaries, your teen notices. Stay on an even keel.
Consequences of bad behavior. It’s imperative to follow through with what you’ve set as consequences for bad behavior.
Bad behavior does not indicate a bad person. Behavior is the issue, so avoid making him feel that he is a bad person.
Collaborate on problem solving. When you work together to teach a teen how to address and solve problems, you are helping him self-manage and gain confidence.
Sundance Canyon Academy provides a supportive, trusted environment where young men can grow, heal, and thrive. Our individualized therapeutic approach, range of therapies, and strong family involvement has helped hundreds of teenage boys from the age of 13 through17.
If a traditional school is not providing positive results, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation at 866-241-3234 or go here for our application.