First week of high school

It’s the first week of high school.

Your teen might be acting like it’s no big deal—shrugging when you ask about classes, tossing out one-word answers about teachers, acting more interested in their phone than in recounting their day.

But underneath?

There’s more going on than they’ll ever say out loud.

They’re stepping into harder academics, bigger expectations, shifting friend groups, and the quiet pressure to “have it together” when half the time they’re just trying to keep up.

When my own kids started high school, I found myself focusing on the obvious:

📚 Are they already drowning in homework?
👥 Who are these new kids they’re hanging out with?
🥪 Did they actually eat lunch or just grab chips from the vending machine?
🤔 Why did they seem so quiet after practice yesterday?

Important, yes. But not the most important.

What matters most in these early weeks isn’t that everything runs smoothly.

It’s whether they feel like they can come home and exhale—without getting an interrogation, a lecture, or the sense that they’ve disappointed you.

Your teen needs three things from you right now:

1️⃣ Give them breathing room. Space to be quiet, irritable, or unsure without you rushing to fix it.
2️⃣ You’re not going anywhere. The unshakable sense you’re here and you’ve got their back.
3️⃣ Belief in them. Even if they don’t ace the first quiz or find the perfect friend group this week.

The truth? A rocky start doesn’t define the year.
But knowing you’re their steady place to land?

That’s what can turn an overwhelming Monday into a manageable Tuesday.

🧡 Jeanine