Ways to Help Your Teenager Transition from High School to College or Adult Life

Parents rearing teenage children face a number of challenges on a daily basis, and every day is a new opportunity to teach the child lessons that will help prepare him or her to be a responsible, functioning member of society down the road. Working with teenagers on a daily basis, I am shocked to learn how ill-prepared many teenage students are for "real life" beyond high school. There are many things parents can do in the years prior to graduation to help make the transition from high school to college or adult life an easy one for the teenager.

Build a Resume
Extracurricular activities in the school, like athletic teams and clubs, not only look good on college and job applications but they help teenagers improve their social and leadership skills. The summer break from school is also a good time for teenagers to become involved in volunteer opportunities, such as working at the local animal shelter, hospital, or library. Older students or those who can juggle a part-time job while in school and maintain good grades will gain from money management skills, learning to keep a schedule, workplace etiquette, and get a taste of what working adults face on a daily basis from part-time employment.

Practice Life Skills Regularly
Doing household chores not only teaches children about responsibility, it also gives them experience that will need once they don't have a parent cooking and cleaning for them. Basic cooking skills, budgeting and shopping, car maintenance, and household cleaning could be part of the teenager's list of responsibilities. Also make sure to teach your teenager about banking skills, saving money, and being smart about credit card spending. Many parents use an allowance system where the child earns money for chores. Help your teenager open up a checking account and assist him or her with balancing the checkbook monthly. If the teen wants a fancy new cell phone or Wii game, let him or her use the allowance to make that purchase. I wouldn't suggest giving a teenager a credit card unless the card had a very low limit and was able to be monitored carefully by you. Of course, you know your child the best so you can make the determination as to whether he or she is ready for that responsibility.

Make Academic Success a Priority
Working to the fullest potential will open up many doors for a teenager after high school. Not everyone has the ability to have a 4.0 grade point average, but a lack of motivation or laziness should not be tolerated. Keep up with your child's grades, and when there seems to be a problem contact the teachers to see how to address the issue. Many schools offer tutoring programs free of charge, which even students making average grades should take advantage of.

There are many other ways that parents can help a child succeed in adult life, use these three areas as a starting point and remember, it's never too early to start preparing for the future.