Preparing for high school can be challenging. High school is a time when teens are suddenly treated more as adults than they are children. When this happens, it can be difficult to learn to navigate new classes, handle newfound stressors, and deal with the personalities of teachers. As time goes on and strategies are developed and put into action, however, all of these things can be handled with grace and can help keep high schoolers motivated. But to get to that point, parents will have to help their high schoolers learn to navigate stress, new classes, and teachers because that is not something that can be done on the part of teens alone.

When new situations arise for teenagers, it can cause a level of uncertainty in their lives that brings about stress. Something that beginning new classes and dealing with the ways teachers who all run their classrooms differently can cause. This is good practice for how teens will have to deal with much of the same as they move on to college and later, on to their professional careers. But by developing coping mechanisms for young people, not only will they be more successful in high school but more successful in life as well.

RELATED: How To Help Teens Choose High School Electives

Here is how to help your high schooler navigate new classes, stress, and teachers.

Helping Teens Navigate New Classes

With high school comes subjects that have never been studied before. And when this happens, there is going to be a learning curve for many. But if parents can help their teens to find ways to navigate through those new classes, they will be successful in their efforts.

According to KidsHealth, ways that parents can help teens navigate their new classes include:

• Instilling organizational skills
• Offer to help with studying until a firm grasp is had on the subject
• Ensure teens attend school unless ill
• Take time to talk to teens about school
• Set academic goals

If parents work with their teens to help them feel more comfortable with new subjects, they will gain confidence in themselves. And where confidence lies, so does success.

Helping Teens Deal With Stress

One of the biggest stressors in teens' lives is school, according to the American Psychological Association. Because of this high school students need to find ways to cope with their stress so that all academically related things do not cause them to shut down and perform below levels they are capable of.

Ways for parents to help teens deal with their stress, per the publication include:

• Ensure teens get enough sleep
• Make sure physical activity is done daily
• Make time to talk to teens
• Help teens carve out downtime
• Encourage teens to keep a journal
• Teach teens mindfulness

When these acts of health are done, teens are better able to tackle school stress and any other stressors that cross their paths. Something that not only makes them emotionally healthier but physically healthier as well.

Helping Teens Deal With Teachers

High school teachers expect more independence out of their students than teachers of lower grades. Because of this, teens need to figure out how to deal with their teachers without parental intervention. Something that could be very foreign to teens.

According to ACSD, things that parents need to teach their teens to do to build a good foundation with their teachers include:

• Giving teachers respect
• Showing teachers kindness
• Work towards the levels of excellence and expectations teachers set forth for them

With that being said, there are always going to be relationships between some teens and teachers that are like oil and water. Not all personalities will get along. That is okay. This makes for great teaching moments to help teens navigate school when they do not like one of their teachers. That will help teens to grow stronger and to learn how to have working relationships with others when they do not see each other eye-to-eye.

Source: KidsHealth, American Psychological Association, ACSD