5 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in School

My son, Kevin is starting his school this year and I am very excited and proud!   

I cannot believe that my little guy is growing up in leaps and bounds and is almost ready for his first day at school. Isn’t just yesterday, I was holding him in my arms for the very first time? Where did all the time go?

When I think of the routine we have to follow for his school term, I am not even sure how and where to begin.

Because, like him, all this is new to me as well.

But I know for sure that the first challenge out of many in this regard, is to help him adjust to the school atmosphere and ensure his success in getting used to the routine. Well, I have done my research on the topic and I have realized that this can be achieved by paying attention to some tiny details that we usually take for granted.  Teachers have upwards of twenty children to take care of during the day.   They do the best they can, but good students are born at home.  There are a lot of things we can do to help our children succeed in school that have nothing to do with reading, writing, or arithmetic.

 5 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in School

Make sure your child is ready for school each day

This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s not always easy to get your child out the door with a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast.  There are a few things you can do ahead of time to make the mornings smoother.  Do as much at night as you possibly can.  Make lunches, set out clothes for the morning, and plan breakfast.  Put homework in the backpack ready to go and check the weather.  Spending precious minutes in the morning trying to find the other rain boot is stressful and not good for anyone.  All of those things can be taken care of ahead of time.

 Teach your child how to listen

Have you ever walked into a room full of people and had to talk louder than the next person just so you’ll be heard?  That’s the way many classrooms are.  One child talks over the other who talks over the next.  If you teach your child listening skills from the beginning, they’ll be better prepared to learn when the teacher is giving instructions.  Communicate with your child on a regular basis.  Show them that there are rewards for doing what they’re supposed to be doing and consequences for when they don’t.  Limit screen time and encourage your child to have actual conversations that don’t require electronics.  A child who is able to tune out background distractions will do better in school than one who doesn’t know how. 

 Support your school 

Lots of schools have “stupid” rules.  So does almost every job your child will have as an adult.  His or her first impressions of work come from school.  If you teach them that they don’t have to follow the rules if they don’t agree with them, they learn that they can just go around doing whatever they want.  That strategy doesn’t work so well in the adult world, and it’s likely to get your child in trouble in school as well.  Saying something like, “We may not understand why this rule is in place, but it’s important that we follow it” is a lot better than “That’s a dumb rule.  Tell them your mom said you don’t have to do that.”  Imagine the crazy society we would live in if no one felt the need to follow rules. 

 Spend time in your child’s classroom 

This is easier said than done sometimes.  Even if it’s only one day out of the entire school year, it’s important for your child to see that you support them and their education.  If you show a genuine interest in what’s going on in school, they’ll be more interested as well.  It’s also helpful to talk about school when they come home.  “How was your day?” isn’t a tough question to ask.  Take five minutes and talk about what went on in school without distractions from the television, other siblings, cooking dinner, etc.  Your child will likely be excited to tell you about their day, and that conversation also gives him or her a chance to work on those listening skills.  If you have more time, consider chaperoning field trips, helping with class parties, and getting involved in your child’s school life in any way that you can.

 Set a good example

If you don’t care about your work, your child won’t care about theirs either.  Don’t come home complaining about how your boss is an idiot, you’re tired of working, and how you don’t make a difference no matter what you do.  Real life can be disappointing, but your attitude is what your child will see and emulate.  It’s imperative that they see that even though it’s not always fun, it’s important to always be the best you can be.

I know I am missing zillions of other ‘tiny details’ here which are very crucial to the topic we are discussing.

It might pop up later.

In the mean time, Can you think of any other important points to help your child adjust and succeed in school?

Go ahead and use the comment section to contribute!