Afternoon study is a part of most student’s life, especially as they are heading towards exam years.

While afternoon study can be a great way to get some work done without distractions, it doesn’t work for everyone, so you should make sure that your teenager has a good think before they sign themselves up to costly study.

Here are some things your teenager needs to know about after school study:

It’s tiring.

Staying in school for those extra few hours is extremely tiring, and some teenagers find it hard to settle into the long days. The winter is particularly hard as they’ll be heading to school in dark, gloomy conditions and coming home in the dark, too.

There will be little time for lazy evenings and relaxation from Monday to Thursday which will take some commitment on your teenagers’ part. 

They’ll need to eat properly.

No student can get through study without eating properly. If they are to keep going and have energy for nearly 12 hours of the day, they’ll need to have the proper food to do so. This means a good and healthy breakfast of porridge, fruit and tea or coffee.

Day time snacks should include pieces of fruit, pieces of vegetables or salad, crackers, sandwiches or wraps filled with a mix of protein-rich foods and nutritious salad. As well as this, they'll need something to give them a little energy hit, like digestives or breakfast bars.

They should drink plenty of water as well as milk or juice/smoothies. Before they go into evening study, they should get something to eat that will give them some energy like a mini wrap or roll. Savoury muffins, quiches and sausage rolls are a good option too. 

They need to decide whether they are doing homework or study.

Some parents tell their children to study (while at study) whereas others encourage their kids to do their homework to get it out of the way. The best advice is to advise what you think best, depending on your lifestyle.

If your house is busy and with younger kids, it may be hard for your teenager to study in peace, but they may be able to manage the homework at home.

However, all teenagers are different and if your teen is studying at study but is too exhausted afterwards then maybe they need to do their homework and a little study when at home.

It won’t be forever.

This is so important as for students, they can feel like it is going to be the end of the world, but the truth is thousands of students live through studying and homework every year. Yes, it is hard, and it is tiring but it doesn’t last forever. It seems obvious, but make sure to tell your teenager that it will be a tough year or two before their Leaving Cert but then things will get easier.