The document provides a top ten list of strategies for parents to help their teens get off to a great start in high school. The strategies are: 1) Recognize that teens operate on a different schedule than adults and prioritize sleep and commitments accordingly. 2) Parents are responsible for any parties at their home and should avoid enabling underage drinking. 3) Set clear rules for consequences ahead of any incidents and commit to following through. 4) Seek help from experts if unsure how to have important conversations with teens. The high school years will pass quickly so parents need to stay engaged but also allow teens to learn from their mistakes with support.

1. Introducing—

2. Top Ten
Strategies for a
Great Start to
High School!

3. Many schools in Chicagoland
begin before and just after
Labor Day. These ten tips will
help you and your teens get
off to a great start to
High School!

4. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
10 4 Blinks, Not Years
These four years will speed past,
faster than any before. You need to
find new ways to say connected and
engaged. The old ways won’t work
anymore. You’re dealing with an
entirely new version of your child.
Don’t be surprised. Don’t be absent.
Don’t be naive. Don’t be sorry.

5. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
9 Higher Stakes
High school is all about higher things:
higher risks, higher grades, higher
goals, and higher demands, higher
distractions, and higher independence.
You and your child need to choose a
few key priorities—and stick to them.
Sports and outside events can impact
grades. Resumés aren’t track records.

6. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
8 Test the Limits
Time management is a balancing act
and will get out of balance—often.
Don’t protect or fix this. Let your teen
experience a taste of poor planning
early to avoid over-confidence and a
bigger fall later on. Be there to help
strategize for next time, but no “I told
yous.” They already know. Really.

7. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
7 No One’s Invincible
Kids think bad things can’t happen to
them. Driving, drinking, drugs, failing,
getting caught, getting hurt—all
happen to others—until they don’t.
Engage your community. Remember,
stories and advice from people who
are not their parents carry the most
weight. Be there. Remember, they’re
still young, in bigger sized shoes.

8. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
6 Even Your Child. . .
Even those perfect angels will bend the
truth, deny the evidence, and expect
you to believe them. Don’t rely on past
history. Keep your eyes open. Trust
your gut. Ignoring small clues will
only lead to bigger incidents going
forward. If you sense something’s
wrong—changes are good, it may be.

9. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
5 Choose a Few Rules
Be resolute in your commitment to
following through on whatever tough
consequences you establish. No
matter how hard. From “All Bs or no
keys” to “zero tolerance” or “no
questions asked”, set family rules up
before incidents occur. Everyone
needs to know the price before events
occur and emotions set in—for all.

10. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
4 Trust Your Gut
Independence isn’t indifference. Keep
watch. Stay awake. Listen more than
you talk. Give a hug and kiss, look in
your child’s eyes, and check a pocket
or two. Pay a new kind of attention,
from a slight distance. Watch for
changes in behavior, depression, and
secrecy. It all means something. Don’t
over-react, and don’t under-react.

11. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
3 Get Help for Yourself
Have the tough conversations. If
you’re unsure how to begin, get help.
Read, research, and seek out experts—
for you. Learn from others and keep
trying. Remember how long it took for
your child to walk? This is just a
different kind of journey. You need to
be close by. Let your teen get up from
tumbles; provide support for big falls.

12. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
2 It’s YOUR Wallet!
Unsupervised parties get out of hand
fast. Even if you’re miles away, a party
at your home makes you responsible.
You are liable. Let police know your
travel plans and choose this issue as
one of your rules. It can destroy all
you’ve built. No matter what, do NOT
enable drinking—ever. Teens cannot
distinguish.

13. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
1 It’s About Time
Teens really do operate under a
different body clock. Most are night
owls, hate morning, and really poor
judges of their own limits. If your teen
must work, tie this to grades. If your
teen needs help with courses or test
prep, consider a contribution (skin in
the game) to increase commitment.
Choose your battles wisely. It helps.

14. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
All Together!
10 4 Blinks, Not Years
9 Higher Stakes
8 Test the Limits
7 No One’s Invincible
6 Even Your Child. . .

15. Top Ten Strategies for a Great Start to High School!
All Together!
5 Choose a Few Rules
4 Trust Your Gut
3 Get Help for Yourself
2 It’s YOUR Wallet!
1 It’s About Time

16. These ten tips are designed for
you to consider and customize
to meet the needs of your teens
and your school. Here’s to a
strong start to 4 great years at
High School!

17. Questions?
Thank you!