5 Ways to Help Your Teen Build Post-Secondary-Ready Habits Over the Summer
By Tracey Ropp & Erin House
Excited-But Wondering If They’re Ready?
Your teen just graduated—what a milestone! Whether they’re heading to college, university, or another post-secondary path, this next chapter brings big changes and exciting opportunities.
But as a parent, you may also feel some uncertainty. Is your teen really ready for what’s ahead? You want to support them without hovering. You want them to be prepared, but you're not sure how to help during the summer months.
The good news: there are simple, collaborative ways to support your student in developing the academic and life skills they’ll need. And summer is the perfect time to start.
What’s Changing for Your Teen This Fall
Post-secondary life comes with a new level of independence. Students are expected to manage their time, organize their workload, make decisions about their health and finances, and advocate for themselves—all without the daily support they may have relied on in high school.
Academically, they’ll also face new challenges. University and college classes often involve faster pacing, more complex material, and less direct instruction. Developing strong executive functioning and learning skills now can help prevent overwhelm later.
Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Start
Instead of thinking of summer as just a break, consider it a low-pressure window for gentle preparation. By helping your teen choose one or two areas to focus on, you can encourage growth in a way that still leaves space for rest and fun.
The goal isn’t to “perfect” them, it’s to practice. A little intention now can ease the transition come fall.
5 Supportive Ways to Build Readiness Together
Here are a few focused ways to help your student build readiness:
1. Strengthen Executive Functioning Skills
These include time management, planning, and organization—the backbone of academic and personal independence.
Try a shared planning session on Sunday evenings to map out the week.
Introduce tools like an electronic calendar or a paper planner.
Let them lead a real-life project (e.g., planning a trip or budgeting for back-to-school shopping).
2. Brush Up on Learning and Study Skills
Post-secondary education demands stronger note-taking, information retention, and self-directed study habits.
Encourage your teen to take an online mini-course or read a book in their intended field.
Discuss study strategies like summarizing material, active recall, and spaced repetition.
Explore note-taking systems like Cornell notes or mind-mapping.
3. Practice Self-Management and Independence
From laundry and cooking to booking appointments, your teen will benefit from practicing everyday adulting.
Choose a few tasks they’ll take on weekly, like grocery shopping or preparing dinner.
Walk them through setting up appointments or handling paperwork.
Talk about healthy routines such as sleep, movement, and nutrition, and how to maintain them.
4. Build Communication and Self-Advocacy Skills
Success in post-secondary often depends on asking for help, advocating for accommodations, and navigating interpersonal challenges.
Role-play sending a professional email or asking a question in office hours.
Encourage them to speak up for themselves in everyday situations, like ordering food or making returns.
Normalize that it’s okay to reach out for help—early and often.
5. Set Realistic, Collaborative Summer Goals
Involve your teen in choosing 1–2 goals to focus on. This helps them take ownership while giving you a way to offer support.
Ask open-ended questions like: “What would you like to feel more confident about by the time school starts?”
Break goals into weekly or biweekly steps and celebrate progress together.
Focus on effort and learning, not perfection.
Aim for a Summer of Growth, not Pressure
This summer doesn’t need to be packed with productivity. A few thoughtful habits can go a long way in making your teen’s transition to post-secondary life smoother and less stressful.
You don’t have to have all the answers; your calm presence, curiosity, and gentle guidance will mean more than you know!
Looking for personalized support as your teen prepares for post-secondary life, or as they adjust when they start? Tracey and Erin both offer 1-on-1 counselling sessions to help students living in Ontario, Canada to develop academic, executive functioning, and life skills with confidence. [Get in touch to learn more →]
The ideas shared in this post are for general reflection and informational purposes. Everyone’s needs are different, and this content isn’t meant to replace personalized or professional support. If you’d benefit from one-on-one guidance, consider reaching out to us, or another qualified professional. In our independent private practices we offer counselling and psychotherapy virtually to individuals living in Ontario, Canada.