Choose a mentor for your child, and help to establish a strong, positive relationship. Ensure the mentor is a role model who has interests that correlate with your middle schooler's interests. A mentor can range from a well-rounded high school student to a career professional to a church member. Establish a consistent schedule for the mentor and student, such as twice a week, weekly or every two weeks.
Youth who have mentors learn to set and achieve goals, resolve conflicts and understand the importance of living responsibly, according to the Governor's Prevention Partnership, a nonprofit partnership among Connecticut business leaders and government officials that strive to advocate youth safety initiatives. When middle-school students have mentors, they are more likely to have good grades, effective communication abilities and enhanced self esteem.
Enroll your middle school-aged child in an after-school program. Youth development programs nationwide provide an array of activities that include sports activities, art projects and character development education. After-school organizations in your community might be located at your child's school or nearby recreation center. When youth participate in after-school programs, they are more likely to graduate high school and less likely to skip classes and have substance abuse problems, according to the Afterschool Alliance, an organization that stresses the importance of after-school programs nationwide.
Hire a tutor to help your child academically. At-risk middle school students might be in danger of failing in school or considering dropping out of school in the future. Tutors help youth stay motivated and encourage children to continuously strive to achieve success in school. Tutoring is one of the most cost-effective approaches to enhance at-risk middle school students' grades, and students are more likely to have an increase in self esteem when tutored, according to the National Dropout Prevention Center.