As a parent, it is always important to focus on ways you can help your child to thrive. As the back to school season gets underway, you may be wondering what changes, tools, or steps you can take to help your child to do well. School is a priority – the most important part of your child’s life. You want to make it a big part of your life, too. Consider a few specific tips you can take to better prepare your child to do well this year.
#1: Do Your Part in Participating
One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to be an active role player in your child’s education. That means making time. It may be that there is something else going on during the back-to-school night. Show your child the importance of school by going to that meeting instead of engaging in other activities. That is important for all parents, including parents of children that have special learning needs.
Another important way to remain engaged is to attend all of the parent conferences. Kathryn Hoffses, PhD, states that conferences are a good way for parents to start and continue the conversation about the child. They are a good way to create and manage strategies that can help a child to do well in school. She also states, “Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that what goes on in school will be shared at home.”
#2: Be Active and Organized When It Comes to Homework
Another way parents can engage in their child’s educational process is to be a part of the homework process even when the child is older. It’s a good idea to communicate about what homework needs to be done.
Talk about the previous night’s homework. It also means that you should spend some time helping your child with their homework if there is a need to do so.
Glennis Perez recommends that parents set up a dedicated space and time for your child to do homework. She also states “It gives them a routine and structure they can expect every day.”
Make homework as efficient as possible. Remove all distractions from the area. Make that area of the home the place to complete homework, study, and work on projects together.
#3: Discuss What to Do When Things Don’t Go Well
At the start of the year, things typically go well for some time. Over a period of a few weeks, that can become harder to achieve. Before the start of the year, then have a conversation with your child about what to do when things get rough. Real life gets in the way of communication, and there is no doubt that both parents and students will make mistakes. There are a lot of ways to hold this conversation, including talking to your child about what to do when they forget something or don’t turn in an assignment.
It’s also important to discuss avoidance, according to Rae Jacobson of Child Mind Institute. She says, “When and if things do start to slide, many kids fall back on the time-honored strategy of “If I ignore it, maybe it’ll just go away.” She suggests, “Help your child face their fears in a healthy way by setting up regular check-ins and giving them positive feedback for being honest and proactive.”
It’s also important to help children to learn how to manage their mistakes. Mistakes will happen. How well they are prepared to manage them is ultimately what will make a difference in the long term.
#4: Give Them Ways to Feel Good About Themselves
Another important tool to establish early on is a way to keep your child motivated and their morale up. A child that is constantly under stress is going to fail. By comparison, a child that has ample support and tools to use to support their difficult times is more likely to stay on the path to academic success. How can you encourage positive morale, then?
A good starting point is to give your child time off. They need time each day to have some fun and blow off steam in a way that they enjoy. They also need to have downtime that does not involve sports or extracurricular activities.
In addition, plan some activities and experiences that can help your child take a mental break from school. That could mean going to a friend’s home. It could mean getting a new video game that they have been asking about. Having something to look forward to can be a very good motivational tool.
#5: Set Them Up for Success
In addition to giving them the emotional support they need, also be sure to give them the tools they need to do their best. That means starting the day with a healthy breakfast. Be sure they are hydrated each day. Encourage at least 8 hours of sleep each night. You also want to be sure your child is not hungry during the school day. A child that is hungry isn’t able to learn as well.
It’s a good idea to help your child through consistency. Provide some rules about how often they can have screen time. Give them the ability to choose activities but to turn things off by a set amount of time. Put in place a routine each night that helps them to wind down.
Being a parent can be an overwhelming experience, and school can make it a bit harder. Yet, with some basics set up at the start of the year, many children will thrive.
