Education and schoolwork Believe it or not your adolescent will benefit from a structure to completing their schoolwork, just as a younger child does. Talk through some ground rules with them.

Perhaps strike a balance where they do their harder subject before they go out to see friends or relax in front of the TV. If they find a subject particularly easy, that's the one you allow them to do later in the evening.
Encourage them to do some sort of sporting activity to burn off any stress from school. Going for a swim a few times a week, taking a dance class, or even kicking a ball around is better than nothing. Many teenagers have a fitness problem that tends to run down their energy.
Liaise with your children's teachers. This will help you know what's going on with them at school. Take every opportunity to go to parents' evenings, etc. Get involved as a parent volunteer - extra hands are always needed and you'll get a real feel for the atmosphere at the school.
Encourage your teen to have a good relationship with their favourite teacher. In casual and regular conversations explore with them what they think about their various teachers. You'll quickly work out their favourites. Suggest they chat with them individually from time to time to strengthen that bond.
Research shows a chaotic home life is distracting to children, who are thenless likely to do their schoolwork. Try to organise your home generally so it's not chaotic and there's a reasonable schedule that is followed.
Your teen will find their schoolwork easier to complete if they've been eating healthy food rather than junk-food and are getting enough sleep.
You are a role model when it comes to a general education. If you never pick up a book, show interest in a news topic, or take up a hobby, you are showing your teen that being interested in the world is not important.

Truancy
Government figures just released show truancy is on the increase despite millions of pounds having been spent trying to stop it. The most common reasons for truancy include: children coming from homes where the parents lack parenting skills or have mental health and other difficult issues; children becoming involved in drink and drugs; children having unidentified educational difficulties; and children being bullied.

It's imperative you take any notice from the school about your child truanting seriously. Teens who truant regularly have been shown to have a much higher chance of being unemployed in the future and having problems with drink and drugs.

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Broadening your teen's horizons