After spending over a decade under the wings of parents, teachers, and elders, the completion of the school-based studies marks the children’s first step towards independence, and into a larger world.

Most children eagerly wait for the end of their school life (grade 10), which on average, comes after about 13 years of their lifetime in school. Hence, you can sense the excitement that they have during the last few days at school. The end of a school life might come as a relief to most children, but they need to be aware that this is just the beginning of a transitional phase into the real world.

In the adolescent years, children go through one of the most consequential phases of their lives. What they do or do not do at this stage shapes much of their future. Many aspects come into play when children go through this phase. Due to the biological changes (physical and mental) taking place within them, children tend to seek independence from their parents. Their desire for exploration often becomes an issue for parents and hence, the wild rebellious attitude develops within them. The children basically live two different lives – one at home and one at school. Because they spend majority of their time in school, and their friends in fact become family.  And this is one of the primordial reasons why their friends have such a great (good or bad) influence on your children.

Your children’s graduation school also sets the stage for their self discovery. They are busy figuring out who they are, and where and how they fit in the world. As they search for their place in the world, many factors come into influence, such as gender, peer pressure, social background, and family expectations. Teenagers are keen to experience new things, and sometime end up being involved in risk taking behaviors. At the same time they are seeking more responsibilities at home. Hence, parents can play an important role in making their transaction to the real world easier.  They must make sure that their children are taught right moral values at home, and are able to help them differentiate between right and wrong. It is quite obvious that it is not possible to put up surveillance on your children 24/7. There is a chance your children may have already started smoking, are involved in relationships, or have had their first sip of alcohol.

Communication between parents and teenage children is vital. Share your experience and guide them, so that it would be helpful in shaping up their morality. Ask your children how they would like to spend their vacation after their SEE examination. Classes beyond Grade 10, (college as said in Nepal) is said to be the first stepping stone towards the development of your child's career. Do not put under pressure, but rather guide them in choosing the correct course to pursue. Give them the authority to make their own decision.

It is important to work hard, but solely focusing on grades can sometimes lead to bad consequences. Hence, let your children pursue their dreams, and as parent guide them in this journey.

Most school leaving children tend to go through the following challenges as they join “colleges” for further studies:

  • Difficulty in adjusting to the new environment.
  • Missing old friends from school.
  • Anxiety about the inability to cope up with the new material they are learning.
  • Worried about not being able to fit in.
  • Concerned about not meeting parents’ expectations.