Another school year is beginning and it is an exciting time. Teenagers are moving further and further into their future plans and seeing it on the horizon. Each new year is a new step in its direction. But not everyone is thrilled by the prospect of another year. When you have a troubled teenager at home, the prospect of beginning over again from last year could feel overwhelming. You may even be dreading it. So, as a parent, how do you prepare?
Do An Honest Assessment
Your first step is often the hardest one, which is taking a real look at what state your teen is currently in and what can be expected of them. You know your child best. Can they be in a regular class? How disruptive will they be? Have current efforts at modifying their behavior been productive?
By knowing what you truly need to worry about you will have a better blueprint to work from as you form a plan for the year.
Make a List of Potential Triggers and Outcomes
Even if your child has been seeing improvements, certain things are more likely to trigger an episode, r situations could lead to a relapse in behavior. Having dealt with this for some time and as the primary caretaker, you will have a decent list of possible issues and what might happen in those scenarios.
This will be especially important for the next steps.
Sit Down With Relevant Staff
You have your concerns and so will then staff and faculty who are at our child’s school. If your teen has been there in past years they should already have a list of their own worries to bring up to you and work with you and your student on. If your student is new, it is best that they get the chance to go through past records from your child and see what your own experience can tell them about the coming year.
Consider More Intensive Solutions
The administration and your own experience are going to be valuable resources as they will show you if a more thorough solution is needed. For instance, a residential treatment center for certain issues such as depression, mental illness, personality disorders, eating disorders and other struggles might be the right choice.
For teenagers who need a longer term option that gives them a secure environment to grow, a therapeutic boarding school might be better.