When you have a teenager, change is tricky. Teenagers need to have a routine in order to thrive, and they resist large changes in general. One of the biggest and most problematic changes that some teenagers have to face is transferring schools.
There are several reasons for a high school transfer. Whether you’re moving somewhere new, you’ve decided to enroll your child in a different type of school, or your child is struggling with bullies or administration in their current school, sometimes a transfer is necessary.
We’re here to talk about how to ease your teen into their new situation. Read on to learn more.
Start With Research
Before you talk to your teen about transferring schools, you should start researching schools. You want to know as much as possible about the school that your teen is going to go to.
When you put time and effort into the research process, you’ll be able to tell your teen everything that they’ll want to know about the school. You can even bring them in on the researching process.
This means that you can discuss with them the various extracurriculars that the school offers (if your child is interested in them), look at the infrastructure of the school, and check out the students that come there. You need to find out about areas that will attract them towards making the shift and refrain from things that are not so inviting and might play a role in changing their decisions. To understand this better, read more here.
If you’re choosing between multiple schools, let them see all of their options. Teens need autonomy and it’s best to give them some control over where they’re going to go if it’s at all possible. This will help you avoid having a resentful teenager.
Always read reviews before committing. There are plenty of public, charter, and private school reviews on the web.
Talk About Benefits
You want to have a good long talk with your teen about the benefits of this new situation.
If you’re moving with teenagers, talk to them about why you’re moving in the first place. Unlike younger children, teens are often able to understand the reasons behind moving as long as you explain them in a gentle way (though they may disagree or be unhappy anyway).
If you’re transferring them to a private school, talk about tempting private school benefits, such as easier college acceptances and better interpersonal connections. Many teens don’t understand the importance of networking yet.
Let them know that they’ll get to see new things and make new friends. If the new school offers classes that the original school didn’t, talk about that opportunity.
Most teens don’t understand the benefits of getting a fresh new start. Do your best to explain.
Support Their Social Life
Most teens worry about maintaining old friendships and building new ones when they have to transfer schools. This is both normal and reasonable. In the 2020s, however, it’s easier than ever to maintain friendships even from a distance.
If you’re moving far away, try to arrange occasional trips for the teen to see their friends. Set up video calls so teens can continue talking (though they’ll likely do this on their own).
Look for opportunities for your teen to build new friendships. Many schools have activities for facilitating friendships for teens, so help your teen start getting involved at school with things like clubs and sports teams.
This High School Transfer Will Challenge Your Teenager
It’s never easy to go through a high school transfer. Your teenager is leaving all of their friends behind, and that’s going to stress them out. Make sure that you remain supportive and available for them.
You and your teenager will get through this.
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