Teenagers who have been in public schools are now entering into a different kind of schooling at home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, going from public schools to homeschool can be a big adjustment for you and your teen(s), yet do-able. I am excited to share with you three helpful tips during this time of change.

Having three teen daughters that have all attended public schools since kindergarten, we are definitely experiencing a transition to home-school during this COVID-19 pandemic. Transitions can be fluid, and I have a feeling that for this transition, we will continue to figure out ways to adjust in the weeks ahead. But for now, I am sharing three helpful tips for helping your teens transition from public school to homeschool that have been working for us in our family.

I wanted to make these easy to remember, so they all begin with the letter “A.” Let’s get started.

Ask

You probably have heard how critical it is to keep the lines of communication open with your teens. It is an act of daily intentionality because they are inclined to turn more toward their friends at this age than parents. So, in this time of being home and apart from their friends, it is especially important to ask questions. They do not always have to be “deep” questions, but ones that create a connection between you and your teen.

A great question is: What is working so far? What is not working so far? As your teen gets older, you want them to have problem-solving skills and also empower them to have some say in how things are going on day by day basis.

Act

The transition from public school to homeschool (especially in our current environment where COVID made the decision for us )can cause some of the same reactions as those going through grief. What do I mean by this? Your teen may not realize how much they are missing the “routine” of getting up and going to school, sitting in classes, and seeing their friends. Or, they may very well be voicing how they are sad or angry about this change. Either way, helping them make meaning out of their pain will allow for hope and overall growth. How do they do this? Serving others is one of the best ways.

Our girls have enjoyed writing letters to those who are homebound (the elderly), helped me by babysitting their younger brother while I work, take on

Activity

Having activities for your children when they are younger is a bit more natural, but as they get older, some much of their activities center around friends and extracurricular activities. So, it’s been refreshing to circle back to some things they’ve not done in a while.

Some activities that my girls have enjoyed are: watercolor painting, exercising daily, cooking a meal once a week, learning how to play a new instrument via YouTube, and reinforcing their daily quiet time in the Word.

I hope you found these three tips of help and hopeful for you and your family as you are making this change in your lives. Be on the lookout for more to come soon!

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If you enjoyed this post, I would recommend these articles too:

• 5 Things Your Teenaged Children Need to Know About God During the Coronavirus Crisis found here.

• 10 Things To Do When Your Children Are Stuck At Home found here.