Top Distractions for Teens

Teens have a lot going on between school, a part-time job, chores, extracurricular activities, sports and spending time with friends and family. Despite all this, many teens are distracted by other parts of their life, which can interfere with getting homework done, making good relationship choices and excelling at outside activities 2. While you can't get rid of them entirely, helping your teen balance the important stuff with possible distractions can help her succeed.

Electronics

Texting, playing computer games and watching television are enjoyable activities that many teens choose during their down time. These activities can also be a distraction. If your teen is supposed to be searching the Internet for information on a paper due tomorrow but is playing games instead, the computer becomes a distraction. Favorite television shows can distract your teen from doing homework, going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting her chores done. Texting on her cell phone might be one of the biggest distractions. She probably pulls it out and converses with friends during dinner, while doing homework or when she should be asleep. Texting is the top distraction in the car among teens who drive, according to CBS News.

Friends

As the parent of a teen, you probably know that she wants to spend a good deal of her time with friends. This can distract her from doing her best at school and forming quality relationships with parents and siblings. If your teen chooses time with friends over clubs and sports, she could be missing out on opportunities that will help her in the future. If your friend relies on just a few friends, a falling out could leave her lonely and upset.

Social Networking

Many teens use social networking sites to talk and spend time with friends, near and far, as well as family. It can be addicting, though, and some teens might favor social sites in exchange for face-to-face interactions. Spending a lot of time on these sites can also keep your teen from getting her school work done on time and might even keep her up late into the night as she chats with other people online. Setting limits on social networking time goes a long way toward helping your child balance cyber relationships with real ones.

School

Schoolwork and class time itself might not pose a huge distraction to your teen, but so much else goes on there that could. Teens experience changes in their bodies, must navigate the social hierarchy that exists in the hallways and deal with changing class schedules and different teachers. All of this adds up to worry about fitting in and getting it all done. Many teens are entering romantic relationships or breaking them off. The emotions involved with both can distract your teen from everyday tasks.