It’s hard to believe the school year is coming to an end. Didn’t it just begin? Even though it might feel like we are on the fast track to summer vacation, there is a certain group of students who might find the days dragging on. These are the students who are counting down the days until they will flip their tassels and hear the words, Congratulations class of 2025.
Yes, for all the seniors of the world who have secured their plans for next year, taken their last SAT or ACT and no longer need to worry about their GPA for college resumes, these last few weeks can feel like an eternity.
So how can parents help? What do you do when you see your child deep in the trenches of senioritis? How can you help them to finish the race strong?
Reward Accomplishments
Rewards aren’t only good for getting your child to use the potty. They can be effective for seniors who are about to graduate, too. No matter how old we are, rewards can work wonders in the motivation department. Have an honest conversation with your senior about the areas where they are struggling to stay motivated, and then come up with a reward system. If they get all their work turned in for the week, they get to pick a special dinner. If they score above a certain grade on a test, they get to pick a fun activity you can do as a family. The list of possibilities goes on and on. Talk about what motivates them and come up with a plan that is enticing (and realistic).
Remind Them of Their Hard Work
Sometimes, the greatest reward is knowing we have finished strong. Talk to your senior about all the effort you have seen them put in. Remind them that years from now, they will want to look back on this time and see that even though they might have been tired of school and all the things, they chose to give it their all. That shows a tremendous strength of character and is a wonderful skill set to develop at a young age.
Set Goals and Stay Organized
When we get tired of something, it’s easy to let it slide, and that includes organization and goal setting. Ask your child what their goals are for the remainder of the year and help them to create plans to achieve those goals. Organization goes hand-in-hand with goal setting, too. Talk to them about how they can stay organized and create systems, like calendars, reminders on the phone and planned study dates with friends to help them stay on track with organization and the achievement of their goals.
Stay Connected with Peers
The end of senior year can be an emotional time. As the year comes to an end, this is a huge milestone, and change for many students. There can be feelings of sadness and anxiety about what they have known for so long coming to an end — and the unknown that stretches out before them. There might be a fear that friendships are coming to an end, or will be changing, with the end of the school year. To help your teen with this transition, encourage them to keep finding ways to engage and stay connected with their friends. This might be a good motivator that helps with senioritis, too. If they see that they are all in this spot together, they can encourage each other to finish strong. Together.
Create a Countdown Chart
Just like we countdown the days to Christmas and weddings, this milestone deserves a countdown calendar, too. Next to the calendar, keep a list of all the fun activities that are coming up: senior skip day, graduation practice, final performances or banquets … the list goes on. Keep a record of all the excitement that’s coming and give your senior stuff to look forward to. Remind them they don’t want to miss these milestones and that the memories made will last a lifetime.
