Raising a teen? Here’s some advice on school activities from the book “How to Survive Your Teenager” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:

“Kids should get involved in school activities. Pick your thing: If you don’t want sports, be in the theater. The kids who are successful in school are involved in school. One of my sons was involved in sports every season. My other son was a pretty good athlete but he didn’t like it much. I made him do something. One semester, he ran cross-country; another he did theater.”

—Caren Masem, Greensboro, N.C., parent of two sons, 33 and 28

“If you’re a little worried about your kids’ grades, encourage them to join some after-school activity or sports team. It seems counterintuitive, but a lot of the teams have requirements that the kids keep their grades up, and staying on a team they love can be a huge motivator. And, from my own experience, I’ve found that sometimes if your days are more structured, you actually become more efficient.”

—S.M.P., Portland, Maine, parent of two sons, 12 and 8

“Limit extracurricular activities if you have to. I don’t allow my teenager to participate in sports in the first semester of a school year. He needs that time to adjust to the new teacher, to learn what’s expected of him, and to settle back into school.”

—Deb Uhler, Hellertown, Pa., parent of two boys, 14 and 10

“My son is in the gifted/talented category and finds most regular school subjects pretty boring. School basically ‘sucks,’ except art and photography and music. So support the continuation of art and music in your school curriculum!”

—J.S., Houston, Texas, parent of one son, 18

“I believe that organized sports can teach valuable life lessons to kids during their formative years. The camaraderie, and being part of a team, taught me so much in high school. No classroom learning can replace those lessons. Parents should encourage kids to find a sport they love to play, and to play it to the best of their abilities. They will learn things that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. And if they are good enough they might even earn a college scholarship and make things easier on their parents financially.”

—Mitzie Hagen, Wheeling, W.Va., parent of one daughter, 15

“My daughter got into swimming at seven years old, and it was so demanding. By high school she’d have practice every day for several hours; it consumed all her time. But looking at the pros versus the cons, it worked out. And I shut up after a while. You have to remember that it’s about her and not about you.”

—Herb Griffith, Fishersville, Va., parent to one daughter, 33, and one son, 31

Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share.