According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the school dropout rates are increasing day by day, with 8% students quitting school every year. Teen quitting school is nothing short of a nightmare for parents, who dream of their teens getting higher education, landing a great job, and living a successful life. Although it’s not easy to convince a child to resume education once he has thrown in the towel, you as a parent can still make a huge difference through timely intervention when you’re teen is yet to take that final step out of school. Here are a few tips to help you change your teen’s mind and stop him from jeopardizing his future.

Listen to His Point of View

There might be a strong reason behind your teen taking such an extreme step. It’s best to have a detailed conversation with him in order to know his viewpoint. Ask him why he wants to quit, and if there’s anything you can do to make things better. Chances are he will simply be facing problems like every other, such as poor grades, peer pressure, bullying, financial issues, relationship issues, etc. It is also quite possible that he might simply be bored and fed up of the strict routine and is craving for a bit of freedom.

Rectify the Problems

Try to fix all those problems that are making your teen consider the option of dropping out of school. You may not be able to fix all the issues at once, but you can at least tell the teen that you are always there to support him, and that you will do your best to make sure he does not face these problems again. Also tell him that problems are part of life and quitting is never a solution.

Approach Teachers for Support

It is very important to involve the teen’s teachers in the situation and seek their help. It is best to arrange a meeting with teacher to discuss your kid is planning and try to get down to the bottom of things. Your teen may be doing this because of his poor grades in major subjects, or lack of interest in any specific subject, or even bullying. Request teen’s teacher to do his counseling and to motivate him to stay at school. He might listen to his teacher more seriously then he listens to you. Teacher may also develop any strategy to help him in improving his grades and overall academic performance. Also, there is no harm in asking the student counselor to guide and protect him against all those picking on him.

Give Him a Glimpse of His Future

Your teen may be taking this decision out of frustration, and he may not have thought about the long-term effects of this decision, so you must give him a reality check. Make it clear to him that you will be paying his expenses as long as he is studying, but if he wants to quit, then he will also have to start taking on the responsibilities and contribute financially to the working of the house. Also, tell him how difficult it is to get a good job even when you are educated. Ask him what he is planning to do after quitting and how he thinks will manage his expenses. Tell him that with this little education, he will not be able to get white collar job. Tell him what he will be missing in life: financial ease, good job, big apartment, and respect in society etc. It may sound harsh, but he needs to face the reality because this decision can change his whole life. Make him realize how important it is to complete his school for him to succeed in life.

Do not pressurize him to stay at school if you feel that he’s not in a mood to listen. Simply ask him to take some time off and think about the consequences of leaving school instead of taking this decision in a rush. Do not lose temper or get worried. With your support, guidance and love, he will surely take the right decision.