As counselors, we are often contacted by parents looking for advice on what they can do to help their students be more successful. Here are ten ideas to keep in mind that could take some of the stress from your student's high school experience and encourage their overall success.

Set expectations early.
As each semester gets underway, work together with your student to set realistic goals and expectations and stick with them. There is nothing wrong with a reward and consequence system for motivating a teenager.

Talk.
Keep open communication with your student. They may not be as open with you as you'd like them to be, but be sure that you are available to them when they need you.

Get to know people in your student's life.
Inside of school and out, be aware of who your student is around on a daily basis -- teachers, counselors, principals, coaches, friends, parents of friends. Do not hesitate to communicate with these people. It is always better to know too much than to not know enough.

Prioritize.
Sometimes scheduling conflicts are unavoidable, but as much as possible, schedule appointments for your student outside of the school day. If an appointment is necessary during the day, try to schedule it for a time when your student will miss the least amount of school.

Deal with problems before they get out of hand.
Hopefully your student's high school experience is a smooth one; however, concerns and problems are not uncommon. Rather than wait until it is too late, contact your student's teachers as soon as you have any sort of question or concern. Waiting until the last week of the semester and asking what can be done to save your student's grades is too little too late.

Homework is important...really.
Homework completion can have a significant impact on an overall semester grade and daily assignments help to build the skills needed to do well on quizzes and exams. More often than not, a student's poor performance in a class can be largely attributed to missing and incomplete homework. Keep tabs on your student's homework by logging on to Skyward Family Access regularly and hold them accountable for their academic responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your student's teachers.

Set a good example.
Model the kind of behavior for your students that you expect of them. The fruit does not fall far from the tree, right?

Compliment and praise.
Who doesn't like to hear good things about themself? If your student does something good, tell them you're proud of them. Recognizing good behavior can be a powerful motivator for the behavior to continue.

Remember your high school days.
You were in high school once, too. Don't forget what that was like. What is important to a teenager is much different than what is important to an adult.