Helping Your Artistic Teen Plan for Success
Don’t Get Caught Off-Guard
The time to start gearing up for back to school always seems to come faster than expected. After an initial few weeks of recovery and reset from the traditional school year schedule, and the ramping up for summer activities and fun, it can feel like summer is suddenly half over just as you are settling into the new routine.
Even though you will still be in the midst of hot days and long summer evenings, mid-July is a great time for your teen or tween to start planning for their fall schedule. With any luck, as they mature and handle more of their planning on their own, they will continue to be open to some input from you to set them up for a successful year.
Here are some considerations when talking to your teen or tween about planning for the next academic year and balancing the demands of their creative art of choice..
Check Their Interests
Even if your tween or teen has been engaged in the same extracurriculars for years, things can still change. I’ve watched parents learn the hard way – don’t assume.
Check in with your teen about their interest level in their chosen art for the next year. Continue on the same path? Pull back a bit? Mix it up and add in something new? These are all things they may have been thinking but haven’t mentioned out loud. If something is changing, get clarity on the what, when, why and how they want to make this change. If it requires adding in a new instructor, studio or commitment, be sure you and they have done the research on this and know when and how to sign them up. This includes checking in on what level they will be starting at – just because “intermediate” is defined one way at one location does not mean that it is defined the same way in another.
See if They Want to Add in a New Activity
If they want to add an entirely new activity, be sure they understand the commitment to that activity and how that will fit in with their current arts pursuits. If they suddenly want to add cross-country into the mix, great! Being well-rounded will only serve them well.
However, knowing how many hours per week is expected, when practices take place, how much support they will need from you to transport them places, and the overall expectations needs to be addressed. Your teen or tween may not have thought through the logistics of it all. If they have been excited to have jazz ensemble as an option as they move into middle school, but didn’t realize the sixth-graders rehearse before school – right when cross country practices – then adjustments may need to happen.
If something like this happens and this is your oldest child – don’t despair. They may not need to make a choice. The school may be very familiar with the conflict and have worked out a work around. Ask any parents you know who might have some insight and send an email to the school. Keep in mind that teachers deserve their breaks too, so you may not get an immediate response, but someone is likely to eventually pass your email to the correct person to help you and your teen or tween sort it out.
Discuss How to Balance A Schedule
As much as teens are often portrayed as grumpy, mumbling, pessimistic creatures, this does not mean they aren’t also excited, enthusiastic and sometimes unrealistically optimistic.
For example, if your rising high-schooler is excited by all of the new opportunities open to them, they may be prone to over-committing. Having a conversation well in advance of school starting may help avoid stress later.
If the conversation about their interests has led to the assertion that they want to continue with, or level up in their art, talk about how many hours per week that commitment will require. Know the general estimated hours of homework that freshmen in their school have each evening. Ask your teen to start from there and figure out how many additional hours they can realistically add to their weekly calendar.
Remind your teen that a healthy balance includes ample time for sleep, social time, and downtime. It’s not realistic – or healthy to have every day scheduled with fifteen-hours of committed time. This would also eliminate time to attend outside activities related to their art such as shows, workshops, exhibitions or collaborative projects.
For teens who are not old enough to drive themselves, you should also remind them that their schedule impacts others in your home, and that this has to be part of the consideration. They shouldn’t assume that just because they really want to try the before school photography club and the after school student paper, that this can be accomplished without planning for how they will get to and from these activities.
Remind Them To Plan for the Full Year
It’s easy for tweens and teens to only think of their immediate scheduling needs. If they want to make a school-year long commitment to the after school hip-hop dance troupe this fall, that’s great. But only if they have looked at the spring semester and ensured there is not another activity they want more that may cause a conflict. For example, if they want to try out for the spring musical, will they be leaving the dance troupe in a bind?
Doing this type of planning can help develop valuable skills for your teen including learning how to write an email to the instructors to ask questions. I would encourage you to supervise, but not write the emails if they are nervous. This generation does not communicate via email consistently, and learning how to write one – and check for a response will be an important skill for them to develop.
Help Your Teen Find Balance
Back to the sometimes overly optimistic nature of teens when it comes to planning: are they making a plan that balances their artistic endeavors and their academic responsibilities?
Academic schedules, teachers and workloads change from year to year. Just because they found the previous year “easy” doesn’t mean the next one will be. Ask your teen to look at their academic schedule and classes and do their best to estimate the workload.
Encourage them to ask other students about specific classes. If they are considering taking their first AP classes, see if they (and you) can get a sense of the time demand of each class. AP History may sound great to your dancer who is also a history lover, but if the class is known for a minimum of two hours of daily reading and writing homework, how will that fit with their pre-pro core class requirements and late fall Nutcracker rehearsals?
Work together to create a schedule that accommodates their creative commitments while allowing time for studies, other commitments and built in breaks. Encourage them to prioritize their academic responsibilities without neglecting their creative passions. Teach them effective time management skills to avoid feeling overwhelmed and ensure they have enough time for both their artistic pursuits and schoolwork.
Encourage Some Diversity
Many teens today have such jam packed schedules and it’s hard to fit it all in. If your teen is highly committed to their art – they may find that most of their social interactions revolve around their art. Yet, engaging with and learning from peers with other interests should be an important goal during adolescence.
If your teen has dedicated singular focus to their art for the past few years, encourage them to join a club or try an activity outside of that interest. Today’s schools recognize the importance of exposure to many types of activities and often have formal and informal opportunities to explore new interests.
If your teen is feeling the pressure of an intense schedule, a low commitment once a week after school club may help them branch out and meet new people without feeling overly burdened. If they are considering college this can also serve them well as schools look at more well-rounded applicants favorably.
Protect Time for Mental and Emotional Well-Being
The pursuit of a creative art form on top of academic demands can be emotionally and mentally demanding. Your teen should build in protected time for mental and emotional well-being. Mindfulness, meditation, exercise, therapy, or any other endeavor that supports this should have a dedicated slot on your teens schedule. Remind them that adequate rest, nutritious meals, and breaks to rejuvenate their mind and body will be key to success in both academics and their art.
Conclusion
Gearing up for a successful fall requires looking at the schedule well in advance of the return to school. There are many factors which should be considered – and you will be doing yourself and your teen a favor by encouraging them to start their planning early. With your support and guidance, your creative teen will be ready to jump into the upcoming academic year with confidence and enthusiasm and a plan of action.
