Reasons Your Teen is Struggling in School
Parents dealing with a teenager struggling in school can quickly become frustrating, and knowing how to approach their teen is crucial. They know something isn’t right, but figuring out the recipe to success is easier said than done.
Communication is vital in this issue, as knowing what to say and how to say it usually leads to answers that can help overcome these challenges. It’s not always as easy as getting a straight answer from a teenager, but smaller answers here and there might lead to some type of breakthrough that explains things better.
What are some of the top reasons for teens to struggle in school?
Many students and families come into the Elevations RTC program with questions about overcoming challenges. Our program helps with these issues. It’s still great information for families to understand.
Anxiety
Even seemingly perfect students go through anxiety problems at one point in their academic careers. Anxiety is a real thing, and parents to this day don’t always know how to handle it properly.
A considerable challenge involves identifying anxiety early on and preventing it from getting out of hand. It’s much easier to deal with anxiety early on rather than let it pile up to the point that it becomes a severe issue.
Anxiety can range from feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork to socializing. We focus a lot on improving mental health and coping with anxiety issues at Elevations RTC since so many students have some level of it going on.
Depression
Depression is a lot like anxiety; it needs to be dealt with early on to prevent it from becoming a severe issue. Students can feel depressed before showing up to Elevations RTC, and some deal with depression once they are away from home for the first time.
Depression can quickly halt productivity, which is why it must be addressed to succeed academically. So many adverse effects go along with depression.
Students will shut themselves off, let their schoolwork fall behind, and more. Boosting energy levels and approaching challenging issues differently can help overcome depression.
Substance Abuse
If there are specific changes in how a student acts, this could be linked to substance abuse. Some teenagers move towards illegal drugs, while others will use prescription drugs that they can find at home.
Either way, abusing drugs can pull a teen with so much promise down the wrong path. We have many students who enroll at Elevation RTC dealing with substance abuse issues at some point in their life.
The most challenging aspect of substance abuse is that it can happen to students from all walks of life. There’s no proper way to combat all the temptation, but providing valuable information and having a team with experience dealing with the struggles helps out.
Physical Symptoms
Specific physical symptoms can indicate to parents that a child is having problems with school. This includes sleeping issues, eating changes, general pain, and more.
A lot of physical symptoms start due to stress and anxiety. It might be a simple headache or stomach ache affecting a student.
If not treated properly, it can lead to more significant complications. Students unable to remain healthy won’t find it easy to pay attention to the regular day-to-day grind of school.
Too Challenged
There’s no shame in a student feeling too challenged in the classroom. The hard part is that classrooms are sometimes too full for children to get the proper amount of attention if this is the case.
Suddenly, a slight struggle turns into a big one as the rest of the class moves on. Elevations RTC ensures students aren’t overwhelmed with work. If extra time is needed, that’s what’s offered.
Moving at any pace without feeling a ton of peer pressure helps. Extra attention outside the regular class hours ensures students feel respected and heard.
Helping Students Reach New Heights
The child might struggle in school because they are not pushed the way they should. A student becomes disinterested when they find the material too easy.
To stay occupied, they may even start acting out.
Once again, at Elevations RTC, we take care of this issue by tailoring a curriculum for every student. If it’s apparent that they need to progress to a more challenging curriculum, they are congratulated and move up in coursework.
Our teaching staff will take it upon themselves to ensure every student receives the help they need to achieve their goals.
Bullying
Unfortunately, bullying is a severe issue for many students worldwide. In an ideal situation, no child would have to deal with bullying, although it’s virtually impossible to eliminate.
Social media has only increased the opportunity for bullies to impact someone. Everything can seem perfectly fine in person, but bullying can happen online outside class hours.
Before enrolling at Elevations RTC, many students suffered through some form of bullying. Understanding how to react to bullying and who to go to for help in challenging situations can be very beneficial.
How Parents Can Help
Always be on the lookout for warning signs. The earlier struggles are spotted, the better. Parents generally want what’s best for their child, but it can get to the point where they might not have the answers.
When this is the case, a residential treatment center like Elevations RTC helps tremendously. It’s a way for students to have a new type of focus on being in a better situation long-term.
Having the ability to remove distractions often opens up ample opportunities to succeed in class.