How to Stop a Teen From Cheating

With camera phones, text messaging and research papers available for a few dollars on the Internet, parents and schools are finding it an uphill battle to fight cheating. There are some steps you can take to stop a teen from cheating in school.

Instructions

1. Examine your attitude about school first. Are you putting too much pressure on your teen academically? Some kids are desperate to please their parents and get into a top-tier college. Straight As are great, but you want your child to know that a well-balanced life is even better.

2. Talk to your teen about morals, honesty and integrity. Teens listen to their parents even when they pretend they don't. Set a good example yourself. Walk out of the grocery store without paying for that dog food on the bottom of the cart? Sure, it was an honest mistake, but go back inside the store and pay for it. Your child will remember.

3. Get involved with your teen's school. Encourage the principal and other school administrators to set up channels for students to anonymously identify kids they see cheating. There's an unwritten code among teens that nobody wants to be labeled as a tattletale.

4. Keep an eye on your teen's essay assignments, especially when he's using the Internet for references. He may be copying directly from a website instead of writing in his own words. Check the computer's history so you can see what sites he's been visiting. Compare his essay to the information on the websites. Is it word for word the same, or is he paraphrasing in his own words?

5. Check your child's debit card statement each month. There are plenty of paper mills online where teens can buy essays. If you see a charge to a website you don't recognize, check it out.

Tips & Warnings

• Any student might be tempted to cheat, so don't assume your child never does it just because she consistently makes the honor roll. Some educators say that most cheaters come from the top of the class, where a student may be anxious to graduate with honors.