SATURDAY, Aug. 11, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- Parents can play a key role in helping their children transition successfully from middle school to the more complex and challenging environment of high school, according to an expert from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"Success or failure during the ninth-grade year often sets the tone for a student's entire high school career," said Jose Villalba, an associate professor of counseling, in a university news release. "Adjusting to the exponential increase in workload is the first major hurdle students and their parents need to get over, but navigating social situations can also be fraught with peril."
A smooth shift for incoming high school freshman could have a lasting positive effect on their social and academic success, he noted.
To help your children start high school off on the right foot, he suggested the following:
Parents should keep in mind that, in some ways, high school may be more difficult than it was even a decade ago. Villalba noted.
"Many things about it are a lot harder," he said. "With social media and constant media access, students are bombarded by instant images and feedback on what's stylish, what's popular, what's clever or dumb. It can't be easy to date, to make friends, to make mistakes."
More information
The National Education Association provides tips on helping your children succeed in high school.