Help Your Child Succeed in School

In my previous life, before I was a mom, my days were filled with helping other people’s kids be as successful as they could be in school. Now that I’m the mom of a school-age child, I’m putting my insider knowledge to use to help my kid win at school. And I want you to know too.

I’ve polled veteran teachers, and here is a list we’ve come up with of ways you, the parent or caregiver, can help your kids win at school.

Be a team player.

It’s not ‘us against them.’

Teachers and principals WANT your child to succeed. Take steps to work alongside them to help that happen. If they have suggestions, there’s a reason for it. Try to listen and consider what they’re suggesting.

They’re not trying to tell you how to parent, they’re trying to help your kid succeed. If you sense that your child is having a problem, ask the team to help you formulate a plan to solve it.

Be in the know.

Communication with the teacher is VITAL to helping your child succeed. If your child’s teacher sends out newsletters, or emails, or text messages about what’s happening in school….READ THEM.

You can’t rely on your elementary-age kid to accurately relay all the info. If you don’t make it a priority to pay attention to school communications, then assignments or opportunities will likely fall through the cracks.

Be prepared.

Your kid can’t feel like a winner, if he feels unprepared. You’ve got to be like the team coach and plan out the plays for the next part of the game. This can mean a lot of different things from getting the necessary supplies for upcoming projects, to breakfast and lunch plans, to planning outfits in advance.

Just a little extra time each evening to do some planning for the day or week ahead can go a long way in helping kids feel ready to tackle the day.

Be organized.

For some of you this is second nature. For those of us who struggle to get organized and stay organized…this is HARD. But it makes life so much easier when you can pull it off. Important school papers don’t get lost, time isn’t wasted hunting down shoes or backpacks. The whole mood in the house is much calmer when things are organized and the morning can run more smoothly.

Arriving on time with all the necessary items and in a calm mood sets a kid up to win.

You’ll find some good tips here.

Be efficient.

I know you’re busy and fitting in time to practice those spelling words or math facts can be difficult. Try to find ways to kill two birds with one stone. Use your time in the car to practice things that just require rote memorization. Maybe your school-age child can fulfill their reading requirements by reading to a younger sibling while you’re prepping dinner.

Be a cheerleader.

Sometime kids need a little extra encouragement to reach their potential. Add external incentives. Chuck E Cheese, screen time, dining out, etc… when kids do well or stay on top of their assignments without you hounding them.

Be proactive.

If you notice your child struggling in whatever way, identify what’s not working, and seek advice on how to fix it. Don’t wait for report card or teacher conference time. Communicate with the child’s teacher or a counselor about any concerns right away.

Be an abler…not an enabler.

Hold your child accountable. - no excuses. This can be hard. Our first instinct is to blame someone else when something goes wrong. But if a child never suffers natural consequences for not preparing for a test or project, we’re actually setting him up to fail in the long run. Demanding better scores from teachers or re-dos on assignments might help the parent feel like their kid is winning at school, but it will backfire and cause him to fail at life where you have to actually put in the time and do the work in order to succeed.

A seasoned teacher whom I greatly respect recently said something to this effect;

The ultimate goal is for our kids to become independent people. We parents need to help them develop along the path to independence by gradually releasing to them the responsibility for more and more things.

Be ready to let go.

I feel like I’m constantly reminding myself that I don’t have to do everything. My 7-year-old can do a lot for herself if I just let her. What about you? Is your child old enough to pack his own lunch? Can he lay out his clothes for the next morning? Has he packed his backpack with the things he needs the next day? Kids who can do stuff on their own develop a sense of self-confidence. And confident kids win at school.

Bonus: You aren’t running yourself ragged trying to do all the things. Which means you’re winning too.

Be together.

Research has shown over and over around the world that there are so many benefits to having at least one meal together as a family. It increases a child’s vocabulary, it lowers anxiety and depression and chances of obesity. And it helps parents see immediately when things aren’t right at school allowing them to troubleshoot any problems that may arise alongside the child. You can read more about the importance of family dinners here.

I wish you and your kiddos a great school year.

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