ShareThisBy BARTON GOLDSMITH
Without a good education, your child's chances of having a productive life are greatly diminished. Here are some tools to make the educational experience more balanced for the children and more peaceful for the family.
1. Effectively communicate with teachers and parents. Teach your children that it's OK to ask you or their teachers to repeat instructions or to ask for help when necessary.
2. Help your children break large school assignments into smaller tasks. Set a time limit on each task, so the entire assignment gets done.
3. Give your children short breaks during homework assignments. It will help them clear their minds and focus better on the tasks at hand.
4. Help your children plan for the next day with a checklist that you go over the night before. Help them pack up their homework assignments and supplies before going to bed so they can be ready to go each morning. Also, teach your children to use a checklist before leaving school every day.
5. Have teachers give you notice of assignments in advance, so your children can keep track of long-term assignments. Post a list of these assignments next to a calendar, so the kids can learn to manage their time. Some schools have this information and all homework assignments posted on their Web sites.
6. Set up a study area that is organized with all the various items the children may need to do homework, such as computers, paper, pens and reference materials. Also, set a specific time for doing homework.
7. If your child gets bullied, let him or her know it's important to report the incident to a teacher or staff member. Kids may not try to protect themselves because they're afraid of being ostracized by their classmates.
8. Teach your kids to help other kids out. If your son or daughter sees a child who is being shunned, bullied or made fun of, encourage him or her to reach out to the child in need. Reaching out will increase your child's sense of self-worth, which makes for better performance in the classroom.
9. Your greatest gift is the gift of time. Asking your kids what happened in school today shows you care. Even if a child is reluctant to communicate, be creative about pushing the issue; keep the mood light and fun. Eventually this will engage your child in conversation.
10. Have dinner as a family. This may be the most powerful and most underused tool you have. Children in families who have meals together tend to have fewer problems in school and at home than those in families who do not make the time for this simple and potent action.
With work, extracurricular activities and just dealing with everyday life issues, staying focused on school can be a challenge.
It is a parent's job to teach children how to someday live on their own, and they won't be able to do it effectively without a good education.
(Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., has resided and practiced in Westlake Village, Calif., for a decade. Contact him at Barton(at)EmotionalFitness.net)
