Secondary school is often a bittersweet transition: it’s where childhood makes way for teen-hood. As your child takes fledgling steps into life as a teenager, here’s how to guide and support them along the way.

 

New Experiences

The leap from 12 to 13 and into secondary school can be quite a large one. Throw in a new environment, an increase in workload, as well as budding teenage hormones, and the mix may prove to be a tricky one indeed.

It is normal for your child to feel anxious, and even overwhelmed at times. Parental support here is key, especially with the stronger and more complex emotions that come with adolescence. Most children at this age start to discover an identity and a sense of individuality, so try to maintain open communication but ensure that they have enough space to grow as well.

 

More time at school, more subjects to take

Depending on your child’s school, the number of subjects taken might jump from the garden-variety English and Mathematics, to possibly more than a whopping ten.

If you’ve always thought about getting your child to be more organised, now would be a good time to start. Perhaps begin with getting him or her into the habit of using a calendar or planner, digital or otherwise, to jot down important dates and manage tasks. This will help your child visualise and realise their responsibilities, and train them to learn how to prioritise and manage their time.

 

Increased screen time

The struggle to keep your child’s screen time down becomes a bigger challenge as they grow, and personal devices for learning are introduced at the secondary level. A rite of passage this may be, but with it comes a set of potential issues – so set boundaries and expectations early, especially regarding the use of social media and online interaction. This helps avoid conflict and misunderstandings later, which may be harder to handle because, well, teenage hormones (sigh).

We can share our experience about the risks of using social media, and caution our children that as the world becomes increasingly digitised, digital crimes would, inevitably, also be on the rise. Remind them that whatever they share online can be manipulated, and to be careful of online scams and cyberbullying.

 

We don’t want to admit it, but though it may seem like a big step for your 12-year-old, it’s really a bigger step for us as parents. It didn’t seem like too long ago when your child was preparing for primary school, and already, here they are preparing yet again, but for the next chapter in secondary school.

 

A wide range of carefully crafted programmes at Cognitus Academy are available to help your child move into secondary school. Drop us a message to know more, if not, then we would love to chat with you at 8321 8252 regarding your child’s needs.

 

As our kids spread their wings just that little bit more, we learn as well that it is time to let go – just a little bit more. Secondary school is a safe environment to give them that space to grow, first into independent and responsible teenagers, and then, into the healthy, well-adjusted adults that we all want them to be.