5 Tips For Parents To Help Their Teens Overcome Learning Difficulties

by Camryen Walker
(Utah )

Learning difficulties are common among children transitioning into their teens. Whether they’re distracted from being scholastically adept because of the various pressures enveloped in adolescence or they’re diagnosed with learning disabilities, teens experiencing these problems need much support from their family.

1.) Keeping Lines of Communication Open
This is admittedly difficult because teens often rebel against parental authority and intrusion in an effort to establish some form of autonomy. It would help if communication was already established prior to adolescence. Teens need to feel that their parents can be treated as confidantes who will take time to listen and understand them rather than being plain confessors who exert authority over them. This will serve as the foundation for the other tips I’ll be writing about.

2.) Affirming Strengths and Identifying Weaknesses
Teens have the need to feel accepted, and acceptance from their family matters a lot. Parents need to understand that their teen finds dealing with some subjects or tasks difficult, and should show that despite this they’re still proud. Everyone has difficulty in admitting to weaknesses, so it pays if parents know their kids really well. This way parents can better affirm their teens’ strengths and achievements, and maybe even steer them into related activities.

3.) Maintaining a Level of Independence
Independence is something a teen craves. Smothering them with offers to help with their studies or badgering them with questions about school only adds to the pressure. It’s best to give teens their breathing space. Letting them feel trusted adds to their confidence. Teens should be allowed to supplement school with co-curricular or even extra-curricular activities that they enjoy.

4.) Choosing a Good School
Parents can bring up the idea of enrolling in a school that has a good program for teens with learning disabilities. Involving the teen in the selection process increases the likelihood that they will love their new school. Teens can flourish in an environment where they can work at their own pace and they are in the company of people who truly understand what they’re going through. Click here to learn more about boarding schools that offer such programs.

5.) Reading Up and Staying Informed
New knowledge is generated about learning every day. Aside from joining support groups, parents can stay informed about new techniques and technologies by doing their share of regular research and inquiries. Trying new things can be an interesting shared experience between parents and child.

An important thing to remember is that having learning disabilities doesn’t spell the end for teens. Parents are their foremost advocates, and if teens are secure in this, things are bound to go well for everyone.

References:


GreatSchools: Talking with your teenager about learning difficulties; Brian Inglesby