50 Ways Teens Get Trouble

The Problem
Your child has just cheated on a test and received a failing grade. You know that she knows that cheating is wrong. When you talk to her she says that everyone cheats on tests these days. Could that be true?

Everyone doesn't cheat on tests - but cheating in American high schools has become a widespread practice. What's worse is that students get away with it. In an ABC News Primetime poll of 12- to 17-year-olds, seven in 10 said that some students in their school cheat on tests. And one in three of younger teens admitted to cheating themselves - a statistic that rises to 43 percent among older teens. According to those polled, cheaters don't get caught.

Why do kids cheat? There are a variety of reasons, including insecurity, peer pressure, stress over grades, and the desire to please. Older teens are more likely to cheat than younger ones, and those who've cheated before are more likely to do so again. The one thing that is very clear is that kids are more likely to cheat if they think they won't get caught.

What To Do
If your child has been caught cheating on a test, try to get to the root of the problem that led to cheating. Didn't she know the material? Is she in a class that's too hard for her? Does she feel stress over grades or pressure from peers to cheat?

It's important to talk to the teacher, too. Teachers who have closer relationships with students and value their work - and who have well established measures in place to prevent cheating - are less likely to have students that cheat. Ask the teacher if he knows what led to your child's cheating.

If your student feels overwhelmed with the class, help her to organize her homework and her time management system for more effective studying. And consider a tutor.

Try not to put pressure on your child to get perfect grades. Let him know that you value him for who he is, not the A on his biology test.

Most importantly, model honesty yourself - always. Don't call in sick to work when the truth is that you just need a day off. If the cashier gives you too much change, give it back. Discuss situations involving cheating with your child and help her to see that in the long run, cheating doesn't pay off. Not only does she face the consequences if she gets caught, but she cheats herself out of the learning she needs to move ahead in her education.