16 April 2013

How You as a Parent can Help Your Child in Their Education


Being a parent requires a number of nurturing and supervisory skills. One of the most important of these is guiding your child’s progress in school. Helping your child obtain a successful education opens the door to eventual career success. Here are a few suggestions for parents.


Teach your children the importance of preparing for school each day

Make sure they eat breakfast and pack a healthy lunch to be awake and alert, ready to learn. Ensure they get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep so they won’t be sleepy in class. Have their school clothes ready to wear each day, so they won’t dawdle picking out something to put on and cause everyone to run late.

Emphasize the importance of education

Explain your expectations as a parent about going to school each day, not missing unless the child is truly sick, and completing homework assignments on time. When kids know this is the parents’ expectation, they are more likely to comply, especially if rewards or punishments are matched to the kids’ behavior. While some parents prefer not to give tangible gifts for good grades, most are willing to offer verbal praise and encouragement. Some parents are very strict about discipline. If a child gets a demerit or detention at school, the parent will also issue a consequence at home to emphasize the point that school is to be taken seriously.

Encourage your children to read, write, and handle math problems

These three basic skills go a long way in preparing children for other core subjects they must learn. Kids who are read to by parents, and who are encouraged to read when they are old enough, often get higher grades than kids who do little to no reading. Similarly, children who practice writing paragraphs, poems, or stories often earn higher marks than those who dislike writing tasks. Letting kids help with family math problems, like establishing a grocery budget or preparing a simple recipe, show children the value of math knowledge for everyday life. Science, social studies, and history are more subjects that can be explored within a framework of fun and family.

Talk to kids about eventual careers

If they like using computers but don’t particularly like classroom structure, for example, discuss the possibility of getting a master’s computer science online degree someday.
Making education seem relevant and interesting helps students to be academically successful. Start when they’re young, and they’ll make good progress.

47 comments:

  1. Great tips! Growing up I wish my parents were involved in my education but I have every idea to use these and be involved in my kids :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. im a teacher, so i kwon that some parents doesent help their children with studys, as teacher i talk about careers and the importance of school thing that you mention in your post

    ReplyDelete
  3. i try to do all of this to help my daughter who is in kindergarten and to get her younger sister involved as well, I love all these ideas, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. One of the absolute best ways to help your child to learn is to encourage them to problem solve on their own. For example:

    Boo: Mimi, what is 4+4?

    Me: Well, if you already knew the answer, what do you think it would be?

    Boo: 8?

    Me: Yes. See, you knew the answer.

    If she gave the incorrect answer, than that is an opportunity for a teachable moment.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is indeed a very helpful and informative post. Now I know how can I help my child improve her knowledge and skills in her education.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would add - track how your child manages their schoolwork. If they are late or just don't get stuff done, it could be lack of organizational skills - or it could be linked to a learning disability. (speaking from sad experience)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Its not easy now a days to help kids with they homework things have changed so much and each teach whats it done there way, best you can do for your kids is make sure they bring it all home and teach them the importance of education and show them skills in how to fine help if you cannot with what the teach wants done

    ReplyDelete
  8. These are really great tips! Over here in our exam-orientated education system, I find that the biggest challenge our kids face is time management. They have difficulty juggling loads of homework and extra tuition classes.

    Great tips, BTW!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing these excellent tips and ideas with us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Michelle DowningMay 7, 2013 at 4:51 PM

    This is wonderful and I hope more parents read this and become more involved and hands-on in their children's education. It is so very important and if we as parents don't nurture their love of school and make sure they are doing well, then the drop out rate will just continue to increase.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i think this is very important especially teaching the child not to miss school unless he or she is sick. I know many parents who don't pay much attention to this and the children grow up without any sense of responsibility

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for sharing I should really try these on my sisters.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great tips! It is very important for parents to be involved with their children's lives and it includes education/

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great tips. My son is still very little but I definitely plan on being actively involved in his education.

    ReplyDelete
  15. It is amazing how children like to emulate their parents - I always encourage mine to read a lot and they always saw me reading so now that they are older they read every night on their own. I always wanted to be a doctor and talk about it with my kids all the time and my oldest one seems to be interested in the medical profession. I will do anything I can to encourage and nurture each individual kid's vocation.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It kinda makes me sad when I read things like this because my parents always pushed the education topic but never really formally pointed us in any direction. I would have really benefited from smart parents who helped planned their kids' futures with them. I am already talking about the importance of being involved in my 5 year old's education with him.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wanted to tell you that I shared your post with my girlfriend. Her son has been giving her a lot of headaches about school, studying etc. She was very appreciative of the tips/ideas on how to help her child and is planning to implement some.

    ReplyDelete
  18. No matter what you are doing with your kids its a fun day and can be a learning day

    ReplyDelete
  19. These are very good idea's to give parent's. It's important to be involved and be encouraging to your child.

    ReplyDelete
  20. These are good ideas. However, when they hit the teen years I'm finding that I'm looking for that "balance" between helping and letting him do it on his own :(

    ReplyDelete
  21. I really appreciate this post. As a teacher, too often we see parents who maintain a dismissive or permissive attitude in regard to certain subjects, and that attitude of either respect or disrespect can really pervade a family, and come across in the classroom. No matter how talented or inspiring the teacher, without the right support from home it will be a struggle for that student!

    ReplyDelete
  22. These are fantastic tips! I struggle every year with settling my son in school with new teachers, he has dyslexia and is very bright, just learns a bit differently from others. He is anxious about starting middle school next year, truthfully so am I for him, but we will get through it as we have every year before.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thank you for sharing these great tips! my daughter isnt even 2 years old yet, but i already stress about how i can help her to succeed in learning now, and eventually in school. i will definitely remember your tips when the time comes! thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you for this post. My kids are 3 years and 16 months but I am already starting to think about how to help them succeed in school. Truth be told, my parents told us we were going to college but never really helped us get there. I think these tips are great and I will be utilizing them in the future!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I hope I can do most of this when it's my turn to be a parent. I feel like I have so many things I will be able to teach my child and I want to see he or she prosper and grow up to be a healthy and happy member of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for the good tips. Thankfully, my kids do very well with their schoolwork. I believe that this is because we actually have done or are currently doing many of the things you suggested. And those basic skills you mentioned are definitely the building blocks of a successful educational career as well as being skills kids will need throughout their lives.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is a great post with some wonderful tips. We have just decided to homeschool our three year old and I am praying that I can really nurture his love for learning.

    Erin K. (erinknack08@yahoo.com)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thank you for the wonderful advice.

    ReplyDelete
  29. These are all great ideas and I already do have a lot of these set in place. I do read to and listen to my Children read everyday. They get 9 hours of sleep every night. They have whole grain cereals and some mornings I will get up a little earlier to make pancakes or eggs and toast. I send them to school with a healthy snack and they have hot lunch every day unless they are serving chicken dippers, lol, then I will pack them a nice lunch. When they come home they get a snack and then we start homework. Then it's time to make dinner and I let my Daughter help with the measurements and add ingredients. Not only does that help her learn math but she will learn to be a good cook too. She too is great help with the shopping list and telling me the prices. It is very important that they go to school everyday on time. My kids know that they have to really be sick. The only time I keep them home is if they have a fever or have gotten sick during the night. Sadly a lot of parents don't follow these steps, I didn't realize until you read some of the newsletters sent home. Apparently a lot of parents let their kids just stay home. I guess they can't see or care how important it really is to their future. I like the idea of adding of the writing, although my Daughter does keep a journal here lately. I guess were not doing too bad. Thank you for sharing this, it reassure me that I'm doing something right.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I am in education, and I fully agree reading with your children at an early age is a high predictor of academic success. I read with my children every night!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I think spending quality time with your children and asking them questions about their likes, dislikes, what they did during their day and really getting to know them as little people will make you a better parent instead of you trying to mold them into what you think they should be.

    ReplyDelete
  32. what a great post!!! I would like to homeschool my son and we started early on numbers and the alphabet!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Great points! I tried to teach my daughter to build extra time into her schedule so that she would be early and not late, but teenagers often do not value our opinions. Finally, I told her that if she wasn't ready to leave for school by a certain time, I would not take her to the carpool rendezvous spot. The day came when she wasn't ready and I refused to drive her. She called another mom and got a ride to school. She was never late again. She later told me that she was so embarrassed, she didn't want to have to call for a 2nd bailout.

    ReplyDelete
  34. So much great advice in one post! We try to read every day and participate in the library's summer reading program.

    ReplyDelete
  35. These are some really smart ideas. I like the idea of making the education relevant ....ie Master's in Computer. I am thankful that my son loves to read....a really great skill for the future!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Speaking as a grandmother, whose children are all grown, I agree...every opportunity to include reading and math, etc. in everyday tasks is an opportunity to assist in their future. I read to my children all the time...it was a great bonding experience as well as a learning one. Diana Corlett

    ReplyDelete
  37. Those are all good ideas, we often forget that its still our job as a parent participate in our child's education, not just think that school will do all the work for us.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'm glad someone else thinks parents need to be involved in their kids' education. As a parent, I'm responsible for my child as a whole, supporting the school, church, and coaches as they train my children.

    ReplyDelete
  39. We all need to be involved in our kid's education and keep in touch with our kid's teachers and know what they are working on . We do our best to make sure homework is done, and that they are trying their best.

    ReplyDelete
  40. You have touched on all the important guidelines I utilized in raising my son to be a good student. It worked as he is now a professional very happy in his employment. The only advice I didn't follow was handing out a second consequence if something went wrong at school. We talked and that sufficed.

    ReplyDelete
  41. All very great tips...I also think children should know importance of how money is made, that it doesn't just appear on a magical plastic card. I think they should have chores to either earn money or earn something like time on the computer.

    ReplyDelete
  42. These are great tips. This will help produce a life long learner.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Thanks for sharing. It is our job as parents to make sure our children can reach their full potential in school. I think this translates to everything they will do later in life.

    ReplyDelete
  44. great advice, i think its important for all parents even grandparents to get involved in there children or family learning.. word games is a great one in my house... thanks for share

    ReplyDelete
  45. I agree these are excellent ideas for helping our children to succeed in school. I believe its also vital that our children participate in extra-curricular school activities and volunteer work as well. When both facets of the school experience work together I believe rounded individual with goals and promise will develop.

    ReplyDelete

Leave Me Some Comment Luv!