Even though it’s the child who is going to school, there is so much you can do as a parent to help your children thrive in school. Here are some of the top ideas. Look over them and see which ones you can use with your child or children.
When your child is first starting school, the best thing you can do is read to them daily. Reading to your child will allow you to spend quality time with them and you’ll also be familiarizing them with the written word. You may be surprised how quickly they’ll pick up words if you point at them as you read aloud. Children truly are like little sponges, absorbing what they are shown.
Let your child see you enjoy reading and learning rather than spending all of your time watching television. While it is true that you can learn from television programs, it is a passive type of learning whereas reading is active learning. Make learning something everyone in family does and your child will be a step ahead of the rest of their class.
If your child is already in school and they have homework, take the time to go over it with them to ensure they understand it. Perhaps the instructions they were given aren’t clear. Read the instructions and help them with a problem or two of mathematics. Read along with them as they do their other homework and be available if they don’t understand or have questions.
Set up a specific place in your home for your children to do homework. This might be the kitchen or dining room table. Perhaps you have a desk with a computer for your child to use when they have research to complete. The best place for doing homework will have proper lighting, be quiet and away from the distractions of television or siblings.
Developing a good relationship with your child’s teacher can also help your child thrive in school. Take time to meet with them regularly and ask them specifics about your child’s interests and how they’re doing in school. The better your relationship with their teacher, the more likely they will feel comfortable telling you if your child is struggling and give suggestions about how to help them excel.
Even though it doesn’t seem connected, eating meals together as a family can also help your children thrive in school. Preparing and eating meals together as a family has been indicated as one of the most important ways to encourage your child to do well in school. These children are shown to have better eating habits, higher self-esteem and stronger vocabularies. They are also less likely to become involved with harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol.
Help your child schedule their day so they get ample sleep each night. Getting a good night’s sleep will make your child more focused in the morning. It is also necessary for good health.
Finally, spend time talking to your children about their day. Pay attention to any abrupt changes to the way they act and the grades they make. Changes in their behavior or grades could mean they’re being bullied at school or unduly influenced by peer pressure. Talk to them about the changes and assure them that you believe in and love them.
Helping your children thrive in school isn’t difficult if you follow these tips. Be sure to encourage your child and celebrate when they do well. Studies have proven that the more involved you are in your child’s education, the better they will do.
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