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Help Your Teen Manage Their Time
As our children get older there are more and more draws on their time. On the one hand I want them to keep busy, and to fill their time usefully, but on the other hand it’s important that they learn to prioritize, and to get the important things done first.
For instance, our son goes to a school that is pretty rigorous. He has a long school day, and then there’s homework to do in the evening too. He’s a pretty good student … not heading for a Nobel prize, at least not yet, but his grades are good and by & large he enjoys school.
In a couple of weeks he’s about to become a group leader in a local youth group. He’s been involved in this organization for a couple of years, and will now be stepping into a leadership role, responsible for a group of eighth graders. He’s excited to take on this challenge, and since we’re familiar with the organization and are always impressed with the young men & women who take part in it, we’re very supportive.
But it’ll take a lot of time out of his schedule. He’ll have meetings at least two evenings a week, plus a group activity on Saturday afternoon … and during the busiest times of the year, it can be a much bigger commitment than that.
We’ve discussed the potential problems with him, and trust that he can manage the challenge … but we’ve also made it clear that his schoolwork has to remain his main priority, and that we plan to keep an eye on his schedule and make sure that he’s not overwhelmed.
Kids with time on their hands are often the ones who manage to get into trouble, so we’re pleased that he wants to do this, and we’re proud that he wants to take on the responsibility. But it’s also important that he not drive himself crazy by making his schedule unmanageable.
How have you handled this question with your children? I’d be curious to hear your comments.
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7 Responses to “Help Your Teen Manage Their Time”
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Teens have a lot of energy and as long as he gets his sleep, I’m sure he’ll do just fine. It’s good to have a variety of interests and God can certainly give him the strength to maintain good grades and still minister to others. You should be proud of him.
I would much rather our teen be active than to sit around all day watching TV and playing video games.
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It’s good for teens to keep busy; keeps them out of trouble! I do like my teens to have some ‘down’ time though too. I think it is important to find a good mix between activity and time to enjoy things they want to do.
He sounds like a great young man, and I’m sure he’ll gain valuable experience from his volunteer work.
Although I think school and academics are very important, participating in life is just as valuable.
He is a great kid, and we’re very proud of him.
Thanks for all the wonderful comments.
My daughters are grown now, one out of college & one graduating in May. They went to an all-girls parochial high school. There they learned to manage their time quite well, and were always active in sports, volunteering & social groups. It served them well as they left for college to manage on their own.