mvacql, Author at My Virtual Academy

Teaching Your Teen Tricks to Handle Stress

We live in a world that is full of stressors. As adults, we might think that we are the only ones dealing with stress, after all, we’re the ones paying bills, keeping a roof over everyone’s heads, putting food on the table, dealing with health issues, etc. The reality is that kids today are dealing with more stress than ever before. In fact, recent studies show that adolescents and young adults are five times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression than people in the same age range that lived during the Great Depression. Often times, the stressors that we mentioned adults struggling with fall on the shoulders of our students. Add peer pressure, juggling school and a job, relationships, breakups, possibly being a teen parent, and so on and it’s no wonder they are ready to crack.

Since stress can take a toll (both mentally and physically), the best thing to do is teach your teen how to proactively deal with stressful situations. Model what it looks like to effectively manage stress. Make sure you encourage your child to get enough sleep and have healthy eating habits. When a person is well rested and in good health, they tend to react better to stressful situations that arise than someone who is sleep deprived.

Another way to help your child learn how to deal with stressful situations is by remaining calm. If you are going crazy, screaming, overreacting, or acting like the world is coming to an end, your child will learn to do the same. Remember, you are your child’s first teacher and that goes for every phase of life. They learn how to react to situations from watching and observing you. Give them something good to emulate. If you are aware that there is something approaching that might give them stress, talk about it beforehand and give them time to prepare for what is coming up.

Lastly, help your child avoid stress by making sure their schedule isn’t overly full. It’s normal for a teen to have a part-time job, go to school, and be involved in an extracurricular or two but having too much on their plate can set them up for a downward spiral and lots of weight on their shoulders. Make sure they still have time to complete homework and fit in some time for fun things, like hanging out with friends or family. Having a good balance of obligations and free time is crucial for their mental health.

You can only plan for so much and stress is bound to creep its way into your child’s life, so make sure you take time to help your teen learn how to deal with it. Signs that your teen is dealing with a higher than usual stress level include:

Rapid heartbeat
Upset stomach
Lack of joy in things that used to make them happy
Feelings of chest tightness

If your teen starts to exhibit any of the above symptoms, try to get them to relax by doing a quiet, calm activity like reading a book or listening to music. Exercise and meditation can also calm their nerves. If you feel that your tween or teen needs professional help to deal with their stress, please seek the help of a medical professional. Sometimes having someone neutral to talk to is very beneficial.

If you have a child that is in grades 5-12 and would benefit from learning in an environment that takes away many of the stressors of traditional school check us out. At My Virtual Academy, we help students that are struggling to graduate, want to graduate early, want more time to complete assignments, are teen parents, victims of bullying, etc. They earn the credits they need to graduate with their high school diploma and set themselves up for a bright future. Take a moment to visit our website to learn more about how virtual learning is changing students lives. We also have Enrollment Specialists standing by to talk about our program and answer any questions you may have. You can call them at 800-297-2119. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Life Beyond Graduation: Preparing Your Teen

All Educations | 0 comments

With the blink of an eye, your precious little newborn grew into an adventurous, independent, dreamy teen that is about to graduate from high school. Where did the time go!? Just as you taught them to walk, talk, eat, brush their teeth, and get dressed, you will need to teach them the life skills they’ll need for life after graduation. It can be a daunting task when you think of all the things they need to know, but we broke down the key areas to give you some pointers on how to prepare them for the next chapter of their life.

Employment

Some teens are encouraged to get a part-time job while still in high school while others are encouraged to focus on their studies and extracurricular activities. If your teen won’t have a job until after graduation, sit down and discuss with them good places for them to apply. They will need money for gas, car insurance, food, activities, etc. so a job will be necessary. In addition to making money to support their lifestyle, they will gain valuable interpersonal skills through employment along with the skills needed to do their job. You can even offer to help fill out their first application and teach them what key words to use to sound marketable and attractive to a potential employer.

You should have a serious conversation with your teen to determine the income they need to generate to cover their expenses while emphasizing that they still need time to complete their higher education, should your student decide they wish to enroll. It’s a delicate balance, but it can be done.

Vehicle Responsibilities

If your teen doesn’t already have their driver’s license, now is the time to get it. Once they graduate, they will need a vehicle to drive (or access to one) to/from work and college and in order to do that, they’ll need a license to drive.

Help explain how insurance works to your teen and let them know that valid insurance is required at all times to operate a vehicle. Let them know what to do in case they are ever involved in an accident. Show them the insurance premium for the vehicle they are driving and go over their responsibilities in regards to it. Driving is a big responsibility and privilege. They need to treat it as such.

Higher Learning

One of the biggest decisions that needs to be made is whether or not your teen will pursue a higher education after graduating from high school. This decision should not just be left up to the teen but rather it should be a discussion within the family. Ask questions such as how will college be paid for, what area of study interests them, what will they do with their degree, and will they qualify for any scholarships?

If they are interested in going to college, you should direct some attention during their senior year to expanding their resume. Encourage them to enroll in some extracurricular activities. Ask if they will volunteer with you at the local soup kitchen. Help them study and boost their grades. All of these factors look great on college applications and enrich the lives of your teen.

Once you know what colleges they are interested in, make a call to the admissions offices and see what the requirements are for enrollment. They also have guidance counselors that can advise you on obtaining financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Arrange a tour of the college campuses so your teen can see where they would be living and attending classes. These tours are invaluable and could make or break your teen’s interest in the college.

Come to the conclusion that a higher education just isn’t right for your teen? There are plenty of technical programs where your student could still obtain a certification and/or licensure that would allow them to enter directly into the workforce. These certifications typically allow someone to enter a profession and make a decent living. Plumbers, electricians, and mechanics are always in demand.

Some students choose to have a “gap year,” which is a year break between high school and college where they explore, travel, and work before they enter their higher learning commitment. Should your student mention wanting to go this route, explore the pros and cons as a family.

Everyday Life Skills

Hopefully up until this point, your children have had chores but if not, it’s definitely not too late to start. Helping around the house teaches kids responsibility and what goes into making a house function. Vacuuming, dusting, doing laundry, grocery shopping and cooking prepares kids for when they are on their own. Your teen should also be taught how to budget their money, use debit and credit cards responsibly, and balance a checkbook. You would be surprised how many teens leave home without having any financial skills. That puts them at a severe disadvantage.

Enjoy Your Teen

Before you know it, your teen will be out on their own. Enjoy the time with them while they are still under your roof. Make memories as a family and dream about their future with them. While they embark on this new chapter of their life, things will be different so cherish these moments.

At My Virtual Academy, we prepare your teen for the best life possible upon graduation by providing them with a stellar education as well as a $500 scholarship upon graduation. Would your teen benefit from being a virtual learner and learning at their own pace, in the comfort of their own home? Give us a call at 800-297-2119 or visit us at www.myvirtualacademy.com to check out all we have to offer.

What’s Got You Down? Depression in Today’s Teens

Advice, High School, Teen Health, Teen Mental Disorders | 0 comments

You probably noticed that around the age of 12, your child became moody, temperamental, rebellious, and wanted to spend more time alone in their room. Adolescence is always a trying time for parents and for their kids! It’s perfectly normal for kids this age to feel a bit down from time to time, but what happens if your once happy-go-lucky teen is now down-in-the-dumps-Debbie?

Think back to a recent time when your teen asked what was for dinner. Did they overreact and get upset when they found out it was something that they didn’t like? Now think to a time when they were looking for a shirt to wear for school. Even though they had 12 shirts hung up in their closet, did they break down and overreact because their favorite shirt wasn’t ready to wear? Teens tend to overreact and get dramatic over little things – it’s just in their nature at that age. Teens also get stressed out easily and stressors at school, things going on with their friends, breakups with boyfriends, failing a test, can all weigh on their shoulders heavily and send some teens into a downward tailspin.

How do you know if your teen is showing typical teen behavior or if they are showing signs of a more serious problem, like depression? When their behavior and moods stop them from living a normal life on a daily basis, that’s when you know it’s a problem and it’s time to seek some help. There are ways that teens can effectively deal with their moods, so it doesn’t turn into depression and take a lifelong toll on them. We’re going to share with you some tips that they can use to try and ease them out of the funk they are in and assist them in accepting themselves and their situation.

Make sure they talk to a trusted adult.

Sometimes just venting your problems to a trusted person can be enough to put the situation in perspective or help a teen realize that what they thought was a terrible situation isn’t actually all that bad. A teen may feel they can be more open about themselves with an adult that is not their parent so don’t take offense if they open up to an aunt or grandparent.

Encourage them to make new friends.

The people your teen hangs out with are either going to build them up or tear them down. Make sure they are surrounding themselves with people that help them be a better person. Positive relationships can improve a teens self-esteem and provide them with a better sense of who they are and what they have to offer the world.

Foster the love of hobbies, sports, and other organizational activities.

Teams help instill a sense of pride, accomplishment, and drive in our teens. Whether they join a soccer team, cheerleading squad, or a church group, they will have a sense of belonging and a group of other people counting on them to show up and contribute. Having a strong feeling of self-worth helps to combat depression because you feel like what you do and who you are matters to the world.

Depression is an illness and should be taken serious at any age. If your teen struggles with depression and doesn’t seek treatment, it can worsen to the point of being life-threatening. Therapy can be extremely beneficial and can help discover why your teen is depressed. If your child struggles with depression, a therapist can teach them how to deal with stressful situations, so they have the tools to deal with them. Sometimes, if a teen is in a deep depression or struggling really bad with anxiety, medications may be prescribed. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Just as some people have to take medication for high blood pressure, some need to take medication for depression. The important thing is that your teen gets the help they need.

Teens struggle with enough things, school shouldn’t be one of them. If you have a child in 5-12th grade that fell behind and is feeling there is no way out, we’re here to say that there is! My Virtual Academy helps students every day realize their dreams of graduating high school. Students that join our tuition-free program learn from the comfort of their own home, at a pace that is just right for them. They have flexibility in choosing what time of day they wish to do their schooling and they have access to lessons 24/7, so the choice really is theirs. If you feel that your teen would thrive in this type of program, please give us a call at 800-297-2119 or visit our website. Hope to hear from you soon!

Seniors, The Countdown To Graduation is ON!

High School, My Virtual Success Stories | 0 comments

You’ve made it!!! Graduation is right around the corner and this is such an exciting time in your life, as well as your families. Guess who else is bursting with pride at your accomplishment? Us! Every time a student reaches graduation, we ring the bell in our office so that everyone knows another student achieved success and the excitement spreads like wildfire throughout our office. It wasn’t always an easy road to get here but you did it. You overcame what life threw at you, trying to curtail your future, and got back on track. Everyone who witnessed your commitment, dedication, and drive to achieve your goals will be celebrating you come graduation day.

This time of the year is hectic! You’re busy planning what will happen after graduation, completing scholarship applications, finding housing, planning an epic graduation party, etc. To keep it all together and not lose your mind, we’ve compiled an end-of-the-year checklist of sorts to help keep it smooth sailing and stress-free.

In the spring…

Double check with your mentor that you are indeed on track to graduate. You don’t want any unpleasant surprises!
Discuss if you’re having a graduation party. If you are, think of where you’ll have it and who you will invite.
When you receive your cap and gown, make sure everything is included and fits properly. Feel free to decorate your cap, so long as it is school appropriate!

Leading up to graduation…

Treat yourself to a nice outfit to wear on graduation day. It’s a big day and you deserve to feel special!
Get those invitations in the mail! Sending them out four weeks early gives folks enough time to plan and will most likely increase the attendance since people will still have the date open.
Gather items you might want to showcase on your graduation boards. Often times, graduates will have tri-fold or poster boards with pictures of them throughout their school days, from kindergarten until graduation. This allows people to remanence and reflect on you.
Make sure you have completed all of your scholarship applications, if you are going on to secondary education.
Steam your cap and gown (if you have a steamer) or take it to the dry cleaner to have wrinkles removed. It’s your special day – you want to look your best!
Now is a nice time to put pen to paper and write notes to those whom have helped you get to where you are today. You may want to write letters to your parents or guardians, grandparents, other loved ones, teachers, and staff members. Kind words of appreciation leave lasting impressions, and it makes you feel good, too!

On the big day…

First thing in the morning, make sure that your phones and cameras are charged. You will be happy to have pictures to look back on of your big day.
Give someone the task of being your official photographer. It will be nice to have pictures from multiple people but if one person knows they are in charge of capturing the moments of the day, you’ll get all the right shots.

After graduation day…

Have your graduation celebration!
Send out thank you cards for those that came or sent you a gift in the mail.
Make sure you have living arrangements figured out if you will be going away to school.
Be ready and excited to start this new chapter of your life!

Even though we broke down important things to do in the remaining days of high school and throughout your last summer before college/trade school or entering a career, don’t forget to take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We’ve enjoyed having each and every one of you as students and if you know anyone else that can benefit from our program, please give our office a call at 800-297-2119.

Worried About Your Teen’s Behavior: Signs Of A Troubled Teen

Advice, Communication, Teen Mental Disorders, Teenagers | 0 comments

It seems like every time you turn on the news, they are reporting on another school shooting. Everyone always talks about the warning signs and how people should have investigated further or reported unusual or scary behavior. Every teen gets moody from time to time – it’s just the nature of their hormones at that age. Every teen is different but you know your teen. You know their behavior. If you are unsure if your teen is simply “being a teen” or if they are showing signs that intervention may be needed, please continue to read this article.

Parenting a teen can sometimes leave you at your wits end, but if they exhibit the signs below, you may be faced with a troubled teen that needs additional help beyond what you can give.

Mood extremes

As we mentioned, teens are moody creatures. Their bodies are full of raging hormones and changing moods is part of the package deal during the teen years. However, if your teen has extreme changes in moods (extreme anger, extreme sadness, and hatred towards family members or others), this may be a sign something deeper is going on. Try to determine what the triggers are for their mood swings. If the moods continue despite the removal of those triggers, it may be time to seek help from a counselor or psychiatrist. They can meet with your teen and dig deeper to find the root of their problem.

Obsessions with new friends

Whenever your teen totally switches up friends, it could be a sign that something has changed in their life. They are bound to make new friends throughout their life, but when they completely cut off their old friends and start changing their appearance to fit in with new friends they made, that could be a signal that trouble is looming. Make sure that those new friends are not into dangerous or reckless behavior.

Harming themselves

Have you noticed that your teen is suddenly hiding parts of their body? Are they insisting on wearing long sleeve shirts even on warm days? If you notice that your teen is mutilating their body in any fashion, get help immediately. This behavior commonly exhibits itself before other violent or suicidal behavior. Definitely don’t push this behavior aside because it’s very serious.

Unearned Money

If your teen suddenly seems to have money that has appeared out of nowhere, it’s time to do some digging. If they are all of a sudden coming home with new electronics, clothes, or jewelry and are showing signs of being withdrawn, something bigger is going on. They could be into the selling of drugs or are stealing. Both are unsafe situations that need to be dealt with.

Lying

Do you feel like your teen is lying to you? Small white lies are one thing, but lying all the time about their whereabouts or who they are with is another. They obviously don’t want you to know where they are or who they are with, and that’s a warning sign they are up to no good. Try to get to the bottom of what they are hiding.

Lack remorse

If your teen lets you down, gets caught doing something they shouldn’t, or makes a mistake, do they show remorse? Teens that show no remorse when they are caught doing something they shouldn’t be is playing with fire. If your teen has no respect for you or others and is constantly defying you and showing no remorse, it’s time for some action.

Is Your Teen at Risk?

Some teens have certain factors that may put them at higher risk for developing the dangerous behaviors we discussed. Risk factors include teens that have been:

Sexually or physically abused.
Victims of bullying.
Dealing with a stressful life at home.
Exhibiting a past of violence and anger.
Abusing substances.

If you feel that your teen is a threat to themselves or others, please seek help. Your local mental health offices help teens on a daily basis and could work with you to help yours too. Please don’t take the warning signs lightly and get your teen the help they need.

Looking for more helpful information on various things that may affect your teen’s behavior? Check out our recent post on positive role models for teens.

Head over to our Facebook page and give it a “like.” Our staff is always posting great information on our page!! if you have any questions regarding your teens education feel free to call 800-297-2119 or head over to the Contact Us page on our website.

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