Preparing for Success: Habits to Keep Teens Focused and Away from Risky Behaviors
How to Help Your Teen Succeed this School Year (2025)
The start of the school year sends many North Carolina families into survival mode. While parents juggle shopping for school supplies and reestablishing routines, teens get more anxious about new schedules and social pressures. All the back-to-school stress can make it easy for teens to develop harmful coping strategies, like underage drinking.
Healthy habits and parental support can help ensure your teens thrive this school year! Reliable routines, strong communication, and clear expectations help teens stay grounded and prepare them for success.
As the saying goes, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” While you can’t plan for everything, fostering good decision-making teaches teens how to handle stress and avoid distractions that steer them off track.
Why Routines & Habits Matter for Teenagers
Teens want independence, but they still need structure. Experts agree that routines help teens feel connected, reduce anxiety, and make responsible choices.
Not every routine has to be about achievement. Healthy behaviors, like eating meals together as a family or a screen-free bedtime, prepare North Carolina teens for adulthood.
5 Successful Habits for Teens to Adopt
As the school year gets into swing, North Carolina parents can encourage teens to adopt these five healthy habits.
- Prioritize sleep.
A “bedtime” may earn an eyeroll, but a consistent sleep schedule gives teens the energy they need to succeed. Four out of five North Carolina teens don’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation makes it harder to manage emotions, stay focused, and perform in school and sports.
- Create focused time to complete tasks.
Technology is everywhere in education, but focused time is still important. Set your teens up for success by creating a homework-friendly space:
- Put away unnecessary devices
- Keep the area quiet and free of distractions
- Build in time to ask questions or review their work
Small changes can help your teens stay on track when school feels overwhelming.
- Schedule breaks for mental health.
Teens need time to reset. Prioritizing mental health prevents burnout and builds lifelong resilience. Encourage short breaks between school and homework, like taking a walk, listening to music, or spending time alone.
- Encourage meaningful commitments.
Teens thrive when they feel useful, included, and proud of what they do. Encourage activities that align with their values, like a team sport, part-time job, robotics club, or art class. Confident, purpose-driven teens are less likely to be swayed by peer pressure or unhealthy choices.
- Establish daily check-ins.
Small, intentional moments add up. Families in North Carolina spend about six hours together per week. Use car rides, dinner prep, or bedtime to ask:
- “What’s something good that happened today?”
- “What felt stressful or hard?”
- “How can I support you right now?”
Everyday conversations tell teens they can come to you when they experience change, stress, and peer pressure.
Tips for Helping Your Teen Create Routines
Establishing a new routine can be difficult, but it’s one of the most effective tools for keeping teens on track and helping them make good decisions. Even if your teens resist structure or aren’t motivated by school success, shifting the focus to their interests, personality, and natural rhythms can help them adopt routines more easily.
Teens are more likely to stick with routines when they feel ownership and freedom to make their own decisions. Here are some ways you can help them build effective routines and prepare them for success:
- Ask collaborative questions.
Routines can both reduce stress in the moment and help teens practice life skills they’ll use as adults. Use questions like these to help teens think through what works best for them:
- “What time of day do you feel most focused?”
- “What helps you decompress after school?”
- “Is there something you want to get better at this year?”
- Build routines around skills teens will need as adults.
For example, teach your teens to do laundry during exam season. The wash and dry cycles create natural study breaks:
- Study for 45 minutes, then switch the laundry to the dryer.
- Study for another hour, then fold and put away the clothes.
This routine gives them practice managing their time while building independence.
- Invite your teens into a routine you’ve already established.
If you make dinner at the same time every day, ask them to help. Walk them through how to cook chicken or make a salad. You’re teaching them valuable cooking skills while building connections.
Routines Can Anchor a Struggling Teenager
Even the most well-adjusted teens hit rough patches during the school year. In 2023, 9% of North Carolina teens reported using alcohol as a coping mechanism. A stressful semester, friend drama, or breakup takes an emotional toll.
Watch for signs that your teens are overwhelmed, disconnected, or trying to cope in unhealthy ways:
- Irregular sleep patterns or late-night screen use
- Changes in appetite or skipped meals
- Falling grades or loss of interest in school
- Mood swings, irritability, or emotional withdrawal
