A new year is a big transition for teens, with a new class, teachers and possibly a new school. Dr Bettina Hohnen, Clinical Psychologist, gives advice for how parents can set their teen up for a successful year. 
1. Let the brain take the strain
Brains are habit makers and at the beginning of a new school year, you have the opportunity to set good habits. Those little automatic sequences that play out in the background of our minds, without conscious thought, like putting a plate in the dishwasher after eating or flossing at the same time as brushing teeth. From the start of the school year, scaffold your teen to get themselves up in the morning, pack their bag the night before and clear away their breakfast stuff. Offer healthy after-school snacks, insist on time for them to restore their brains and get their phones off them at night. Once established, these brain habits will take the strain of day-to-day life. 2. Promote good organisation skills
Secondary school requires a step up in ?executive function? skills ? planning, organising, time management. We all know how important these things are for our teen success, yet we aren?t systematically taught them. Communication is key ? name the skills and notice when your teen uses them. ?I love how you organised your make-up bag? or ?I?m impressed by how you tracked your time to get to your friend?s house on time?. These skills are easily activated when motivated, so teens may not use them so well in relation to school. Techn...