Junior year of high school is a time of change and decision-making. High school is coming to an end, and teens must begin to make choices about what they will do after high school. Along with the stress of increased workloads and of making choices about future careers, teens must also manage the increased freedom that junior year brings. Many teens begin to drive and become increasingly independent as a result. They have more choices about how to spend their free time and how they will interact socially with others.

All of this means junior year can be an incredibly stressful time for teens along with their parents.

Parents can feel uncertain about how best to help their teens navigate the unique challenges of junior year. Parents can also be unsure how to balance helping their teen through the challenges with letting their teen begin to make independent decisions. 

Here are some ways that parents can help their teen with the challenges and stresses of junior year:

• Do not overextend yourself or your teen. We are not all great at everything. Trying to add multiple extracurricular activities on top of the already challenging academic schedule can be a recipe for an extremely overwhelmed teenager. Academics should get the most focus. Then talk with your teen about what two or three extracurricular activities could be added to your schedule. Choose things based on their interests and creating a balanced schedule; don’t just add things to pad an application.
• Be a support system. Teens will have times they get overwhelmed and may become emotional about the entire college application process. Be there to listen and offer advice if your teen is open to it. Sometimes people just want to vent. Teens must just want you to listen and hear what they are saying without trying to help or fix it. Sometimes just feeling heard and understood by parents or a helping professional can be the best way to relieve stress and anxiety.
• Remember to schedule time for fun and relaxation. Junior year should not just be a time solely filled with work. Schedule time for fun family activities that take everyone’s mind off of stress. Teens may go away for school or work in the next few years. Enjoy the time you have together by scheduling time where no one talks about work or school. This is a great time to model effective self-care for your teens so that they can learn to manage their own stress.

Laura Lebovitz

LLebovitz@ GROWcounseling.com