To help your child through the tenth grade: encourage extracurricular activites, foster special interests, establish priorities, and keep tabs on your child's whereabouts.
By the tenth grade, your child is likely to have developed some special interests. It is important that you encourage your teenager to explore his or her special interests in order to decide whether or not a potential career path lies within. It is really a shame when a child graduates from high school without so much as an inkling of what they want to do with their future. If your teenager has an interest in the fashion industry, take him or her to a runway show. Visit a design studio to expose your teen to the fashion industry. If your child is interested in becoming a doctor (very ambitious) set up some meetings between your child and health care professionals so that he or she can get an idea of what it is really like to go after this type of profession. The reason that exposing your child to real-life professionals in the industry they are interested in is so that your child can see if this is really and truly the path that he or she wants to go down. This will enable your child to feel much more confident and informed about their future endeavors. By the tenth grade, your child will be ready to begin proactively thinking about his or her future. You have to teach your child to pursue his or her dreams; it's a lesson that will last a lifetime.
ENCOURAGE EXTRACURRICULAR
College application time is right around the corner, so tenth grade is definitely not too early to start encouraging your child to beef up his or her extracurricular activities. Colleges love to see that students are involved in clubs and other activities. If your child isn't athletic, that doesn't mean that extracurricular are hopeless; sports are only one of many possibilities. If your child has strong math skills, encourage him to join the math league at school. If you have a dramatic child, encourage him or her to audition for the school play or musical. Most schools have a plethora of extracurricular options, and if for funding reasons your child's school has a limited selection, you should look to your community for organizations and activates to get your teen involved in. Your child could get involved in community theatre or he or she could do some volunteering at a local hospital or animal shelter. Even if your child has great grades, it is still a good idea to push for extracurricular activities.
ESTABLISH PRIORITIES
By the tenth grade, your child is certainly going to be starting to proclaim his or her independence. However, teenagers often have severely skewed priorities, and it is up to you to lay down some ground rules. You are still the parent, despite the fact that your teen will be likely to leave the nest within the next couple of years. Tenth grade is the year that many teens get their driver's license, and with this comes a rush of freedom and adrenaline. Your child wants to spread his or her proverbial wings in the tenth grade, but you are going to have to keep them slightly clipped. Make sure that your teen doesn't neglect his or her studies in order to pursue a wild social life. Tell your child that you understand the desire to have fun and be free, but you know best. Tenth grade is the last time that you want your child's grades to take a nosedive because colleges look most closely at the grades that students receive during the tenth and eleventh grade. Your child will thank you in the long run; just don't expect a "thanks" in the here and now.
STAY IN-THE-KNOW
While every parent wants to trust their child, you can never be sure that you kid is going to do the right thing without some input from you. Even good kids can make mistakes, so you have to do your best to stay informed on the ins and outs of your teen's life. You don't have to keep your teenager under lock and key, but you do have to keep asking questions. Ask about homework assignments, ask about your teen's friends, ask about ongoing projects, ask about your teen's part-time job, et cetera. Remember, as your tenth grader's teachers say all the time: the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked.
