Helping Your Child be Successful at School

Your school age children often spend more time with their teachers than they do with you. It is important that you, your children, and their teachers have a good working relationship. A good relationship will help your child do better in school as well as reduce stress in your life. Here are some tips on how to help your child be the best student they can be.

Here are some ideas for building a relationship of trust with your children’s teachers:

• Be aware of difficulties. If you learn about a problem, investigate as soon as possible. Listen to both sides. (Many parents believe that the teacher is always right, and many parents believe that the child is always right.) Keep an open mind.
• Talk to your child about daily events at school.
• Be involved in homework. Find out if your child’s teacher regularly assigns homework.
• Make sure your child has a quiet place to work. After dinner, the kitchen table can be a good place to study.
• Establish a routine at home. Set up regular times to do homework, play, and go to bed.

If your child brings home a disappointing report card:

• Sit down with your child and look over the report card.
• Praise your child. Find at least one good thing on the report card: attendance, no tardies.
• Be calm! Let your child tell you about his or her poor grades.
• Ask how you can help you child do better.
• Ask what your child can do to make better grades.
• Make a plan with your child’s teacher and your child to do better.