Summer is nearing and you will have more one-on-one time with your teen on your hands. Your teenager is becoming his/her own person. What can you do to encourage and support your teen's interests? Here are a few tips I found at the National Association for College Admission Counseling website.

• Spend time with your teen and their friends and listen to what they talk about
• Look at what your teen reads for fun
• Watch TV with your teen and listen to their reactions
• Encourage your teen to participate in after-school activities
• If your teen likes music, consider private music lessons
• If your teen likes sports, encourage sports both in and out of school
• Make time to attend concerts and athletic competitions with your teen
• Talk about the importance of developing and sustaining friendships through extracurricular activities

Helping your teenager learn more about what they enjoy shows them that you value their interests and, by extension, that you value them. This will help you better communicate with your teen.

The third annual Blue/Gray Day for our 8th grade students is rapidly approaching on May 16. Blue/Gray Day is the culminating event to reinforce concepts learned during our Civil War unit in our U.S. History classes. Our 8th grade history teachers have put together a wish list of needs for that day. If you are able to donate any of the items listed below, please send them to your child's social studies teacher or to the front office. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your child's history teacher.

• Uncooked spaghetti
• Olives, pitted - any variety
• Assorted nuts, still in the shell
• Marshmallows - any size
• Horseshoe sets
• Canopies to provide shade for outdoor activities
• Coolers
• Gatorade
• Cookies
• Water balloons

Reference
Tips for Parents with Middle School Teens. Retrieved from http://www.nacacnet.org

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