Tip #8. Going to High School for the First Time:
A New Transition

I'm Dr. Myrna Shure from Drexel University with today's parenting tip, brought to you by the New Jersey Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee.

Your child is about to enter high school, a whole new world from the one he has known.

You want to help him, but how?

You can tell him about new academic demands, and explain how to resist pressure from peers to do things he doesn't want to do. But will he hear a word of this?

Instead, ask:

What makes you feel excited about going to high school soon?
What makes you feel worried, anxious?

Ok. Let's talk about these things.

When you feel stressed, what can you do to solve the problem?

Make it safe for your child to tell you what's on his mind, and he will.
If you help your child think about how he feels about going to high school, he'll be better able to take control of this life - and not let life take control of him.

And by turning problems into problems that can be solved - he'll feel less stress and do better in his new school.

I'm Dr. Myrna B. Shure.