PARENTING COLUMN

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Teens are under increasing pressure to perform well at school and academic achievement is often a source of anxiety and tension.
That's the bad news. The good news is that young people, on the whole, are getting better results year on year.
Year ten (ages 14-15) is seen by many as a watershed. If your teen gets through this year and is still motivated, enthusiastic and working well, she's more than likely to continue doing well.
For others, this is when difficulties and problems emerge.

Switching off
Some teenagers go off specific subjects; others go off school generally. If your child's struggling, you'll need to know exactly what it is she's struggling with.
If the trouble is with specific subjects, it may be she's fallen out with the teacher, is having difficulties with a part of the curriculum, or is just feeling she just can't do it.
Unless you know exactly what the problem is, you won't know how to deal with it. Your teen may need help (if you know the subject, that's great; if you don't, there are lots of books available to help you get up to speed), or simply some encouragement.

How to help
If you get on well with your child, talk a lot and still enjoy each other's company, most problems will be relatively easy to overcome.
If, on the other hand, you can't discuss anything contentious without it turning into an argument, you might not be the best person to tackle the problem. Ask for help from someone your child likes and trusts, such as a teacher, relative or neighbour.
This is no time for pride, guilt or torture - the quicker the problem's resolved, the sooner your teenager can get back to her studies and you can stop worrying.

Teenagers who reject school
There are three main reasons why children skip school:
Something's going on, such as bullying, that makes them reluctant to attend
They're not coping with their subjects or they're not stretching them enough
Emotional worries make school seem irrelevant
It's vital to establish the cause and take steps to resolve it before your teen's future is seriously affected. -------to be continued