If your student is on that seamless road, you can be an added layer of help by encouraging your child/student to thoughtfully identify what it is that is leading to success and continue in those good practices. It could be putting a priority on getting enough sleep, exercising, making an effort to get outside comfort zone, or connecting with teachers during school hours.
If your child/student's road is better described as the one with twists, turns, and bumps, do not panic; everyone gets to the place they need to be in their own time. Marking your child/student's progress with that of others is a sure way to keep you up at night, so please, don't do it. If your child/student is struggling, and trust me, many are, it is a part of the journey. Students tend to believe this struggle is unique to them while everyone else seems to be fine. But I assure you of this, every student struggles in one way or another during school years. However, in this world of social media, students only see the forward-facing stories and think that is reality, but it is only one of many angles from which to see the full picture.
So the question becomes, what can you do?
LOVE
L - Listen more, talk less; let your child/student think out loud; the tone of voice can be telling.
O - Offer suggestions not directives; shift from a manager to a consultant mode.
V - Vocalize support; remind your student of the uniqueness of who (not what) your student is.
E - Empower your student to find their voice, a solution or an opportunity.
I recently saw a message sent by a school counselor at my daughter's school that resonated with me and I believe applies to all Rangers. The concepts presented here are derived from various sources, but the original citation is unknown. If you recognize the source, please let me know. - A HS school counselor, Victoria Flis