Do you want your teenager to enjoy a successful and happy life as an adult? If so, it’s imperative that you start preparing them for the future today. Your child will forge their own path in life, that much is certain, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t provide them with a little helping hand along the way!
Here are two things you should be doing to prepare your teenage son or daughter for adulthood:
Support their educational choices
As your child progresses through their teenage years, he or she will begin to understand more and more about the world of education. One way or another, your teen will start to make their own decisions when it comes to studying, working, and what they potentially want to do as a career in the future.
No matter what choices your child makes with regard to their education, you should always be on hand to support them. Whether or not they want to carry on studying once their compulsory years at school have drawn to an end is completely up to them — you just have to respect their wishes and, in turn, aid them in their bid to make smart, fruitful choices going forward.
Should your teen decide that they do, in fact, want to push forward with their education, you might want to consider getting in touch with an expert Oxbridge applications consultant. With an experienced entrance consultant by their side, your teen’s chances of being accepted into either Oxford or Cambridge will be maximized. This professional will guide them through the course selection process, help them to draw up a personal statement, and they will put their face-to-face interview skills to the test.
Be a good role model
Your teen might not be an impressionable young toddler anymore, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to stop mimicking your actions any time soon. Throughout their adolescent years, your child will still look to you for guidance and advice, which is why you cannot afford to let your guard down when it comes to being a good role model. The way that you talk, the habits you adopt, the temperament that you showcase on a day-to-day basis — all of these little things about you will rub off on your teenager in some way or another.
If you want to keep your teen on the straight and narrow, you simply must model healthy behavioral patterns. To become a good role model in this instance, you must:
- Be open and forthcoming about your life (but remember to keep the information that you share child-friendly)
- Retain a positive attitude at all times — think, speak, and act in a way that showcases your optimism and lust for life
- Refrain from taking the easy route when faced with difficult situations — face your conflicts head-on and take on challenges using problem-solving skills
- Show respect and kindness to everyone (this includes people that might annoy you!)
- Always remember that actions speak louder than words — you might be saying all the right things, but that won’t mean a thing if your actions are contradictory
