Communicating with your Teenager
Dear Bishop Ward Parent(s):
As I write this, it is snowing once again in Kansas City, although the snow today is very light and is not sticking to any surfaces. During this third quarter of the school year, your son or daughter might be feeling less motivated to do their school work. This is the longest quarter of the school year and students tend to want to slack off on their school work in general.
Keeping communication open with your teenager is always important, especially if you have noticed that they seem less motivated to do their school work. As we all know, it is important for them to complete and turn their assignments in on time. Communication is key! Talking to your teen and keeping communication open doesn’t take a large chunk of time. Even 15 minutes a day is plenty of time to engage in a short but meaningful conversation with your teen. There are strategic or key times to communicate with your teen.
It is a good idea to visit with your teen when he/she is relaxed and in a good mood, possibly after they have finished their homework for the evening and before they go to bed. Start a conversation with them instead of asking them a lot of questions. There will be times when your teen may want to talk to you. They will usually linger nearby while you are cooking or want to go along with you on an errand. In this instance, you may simply ask how things are going and they will open up. Sometimes, simply taking a walk together will open up the line of communication with your teen. If at any time you feel your teen is quieter than usual or not wanting to talk, you may want to contact their counselor here at school.
The counselors know how to check-in with students by having a simple conversation to see how things are going. If you would like to have a counselor visit with your son or daughter, please call the main office number at 913-371-1201 and they will direct you to your student’s counselor.
God Bless,
Dr. Michelle Olson
Principal