HELPING YOUR CHILD SUCCEED

Every parent can use pointers when it comes to helping a child succeed. Here is some useful information on ways to help your child do his or her best in school and in life.

The following are some tips to help your child achieve his or her goals in school and in life.

Encourage and Demonstrate Positive Work Attitudes and Habits
Parents must be role models, demonstrating the attitudes and habits they want their children to develop. It's hard to demand that your children read when you don't.

Encourage a Family Partnership
Parents and children should share in each other's successes and failures. Children need to know that no one is perfect. Each member of your family should feel that he or she has support.

Assign Jobs and Responsibilities
Your child's primary job is to become educated, while you are willing and able to assist. Insist on completed homework. Don't allow TV until homework is complete. Provide a good place for your child to study.

Maintain Contact with School Personnel
Students make better grades when parents show strong interest in their school and course work. See that your children enroll in challenging courses. Keep in touch with teachers through telephone calls, school visits, notes, or emails. Tell teachers about your children's interests, talents, and problems. Work with your school to establish consistent expectations for your children.

Encourage Your Children to be Well-Rounded
Give your children opportunities outside of school. These opportunities don't have to carry high price tags: take your children to museums, urge them to read beyond what is required of them for school assignments, or encourage them to volunteer in your church or community.

Make Sure They're Healthy
Healthy children learn better. Take your children for annual check-ups with your doctor or local health agency. Have your children's vision and hearing checked.

Establish Family Routines
Establish a schedule for eating, sleeping, playing, working, studying, and reading. Limit the amount of time your children spend watching television. Supervise their Internet access.

Know Your Children's Friends
Encourage your children to be good role models and to hang around positive friends who are making plans for the future. Invite the friends to your home so you can get to know them. Whenever possible, get to know the parents of your children's friends and establish common rules. Ensure that after-school and summer activities are supervised by adults. Establish rules regarding visitors when no adults are home.

Take Your Children to Work
Explain your job to your children and show how the things they learn in school are useful in the workplace. Introduce your children to your coworkers so that they understand where you are when you are not at home. Encourage your employer to use flextime or provide leave for school conferences, and parent/child activities, etc.