Success is not accidental, it is intentional.
Parenting does come with a lot of hopes, dreams and aspiration towards children. This is one of the major reasons why it’s every parent’s dream for their child to be successful not just in school, but in every aspect of their lives.
Little wonder parents give up so much for their children to have a healthy, happy and successful life.
In as much as we all want the best for our children, sometimes, things may not go as planned. So, if you feel your child could be doing better in school and you don’t know what to do, here are 9 tips that may help your child succeed in school.
- ENSURE REGULAR ATTENDANCE
Every class is built on the previous one. So, when your child misses a class, this creates a gap in their learning.
In a situation when an absence occurs, you should always make sure you get in contact with the school and ask for missing Home-works.
On the flip side, some kids will rather prefer not to go school just because they don’t feel like it. If this is the scenario with your child, you’ll need to let your child know the reasons why he/she have to be at school whether they feel like it or not.
- ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO READ.
One of the foundation for success in school is good reading habits.
You should always try to set a good example by reading in your children’s company. That way, you make reading fun with them. And as they get older, this will encourage them to read on their own.
- LET YOUR CHILD KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR HOMEWORK.
Let your child know he/she has to take responsibility for what he/she does at home and at school. Your child should also know that education is important and homework needs to be done each day.
In addition to all of this, you can help your child with homework by creating a special place to study, establishing a regular time for homework, and removing distractions such as the television and phone calls during homework time.
Lastly, don’t forget to always encourage your children to slow down, concentrate and give their homework – and any other task assigned to them the best effort in order to get maximum results.
- ACTIVE FAMILY TIME
It is very important to keep the communication alive in order to promote unity in the family.
That being said, parents also need to establish the fact that academic achievement is a goal every member of the family should strive towards. Besides, it is also a positive thing that will help everyone in the family towards their future.
With a continuous emphasis on this over time, children will be more conscious of the need to study for a better tomorrow.
- LET YOUR CHILD ENGAGE IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Learning should be fun and exciting for your kids. However, learning isn’t limited to classroom alone, it also takes place when children play sports, spend time with friends, plays a musical instrument or visits museums and goes on excursions.
Children tend to develop time-management skills, build self-esteem, and practice goal-setting when engaged in extracurricular activities. While it may be tough to squeeze in after-school activities for your children sometimes, always remember the benefits are well worth the extra effort.
- TELL THEM OF YOUR OWN FAILURES AND HOW YOU OVERCAME THEM
Many at times, we may take it for granted that success requires hard work and overcoming obstacles, but in most cases, this is not necessarily obvious to children.
However, if you take time to explain your experience of a learning curve to your child, it will inspire and help them connect hard work with future rewards.
- SCREEN TIME
It’s important you help your children have a set amount of time when they can watch TV, play with the iPad, etc. This will, in turn, help them get more time to get some more sleep and provide your child with more time to read.
In addition, do not forget to encourage a regular schedule of going to bed and waking up at a particular time.
- MEET THEIR TEACHERS
Is your child doing well in school? Is he or she having trouble learning, behaving, or studying? Let the school know your concerns and possibly seek their advice. Make it clear that you want the teacher or principal to get in touch with you if any problem develops with your child.
Parents should also make it a point of duty to attend Parents- Teacher- Association (P.T.A)
- APPLAUD EFFORT!
Encourage your child with praise, it is often times pertinent for their self-esteem, which in turn affects their success.
Acknowledge hard work and persistence, not just the grade or the outcome. Use specific praise about a task so your child knows what he/she did right to help stretch his inner motivation.
After all being said, parental participation in a child’s life cannot be overemphasized. Getting your child ready for school on time, well prepared, well-fed and having a good home environment – where they can succeed and do their homework, can help improve your child’s performance in school.
