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And we’re off to another school year!  Hopefully it will be a successful year for your child(ren), but much of that success lies within your power as a parent.  Yes, YOU can help shape your child’s success by following the tips below:

• Provide a supportive, nurturing environment so your child can study and focus on academic work. For example, encouraging your child to do their best provides positive reinforcement and assures him/her that you care about his/her performance.
• Make sure your child gets ample sleep so he/she can focus and stay awake in class. (You’d be surprised how many students fall asleep in class and miss valuable information.)
• Be proactive as a parent and meet your child’s teachers and principals at the beginning of the year. Keep the lines of communication open before there is a problem.  Read the weekly newsletter and stay informed.
• Ask your child to write his/her top goals for the year. What would they like to accomplish at school?  What grades would they like to make?  What kind of friends do they want to have?  What places would they like to visit?  Make sure he/she evaluates his/her progress on a regular basis.
• Volunteer at your child’s school. Parents who are involved in their child’s education provide a good foundation for their child’s success.
• Ask your child what they are learning in their classes. Make sure they are comprehending and feeling comfortable with the material.  This can be a fun exchange of information as you include things that happened during your day as well.
• Get a tutor quickly if your child needs help. With each day that your child doesn’t understand material, he/she is getting further and further behind which makes it difficult to perform well on tests and assignments.
• Even if your child doesn’t have homework, make sure they spend time (even if it’s 15 minutes) studying, reviewing their notes, reading for pleasure or reading a text book, or some other stimulating activity. There are many resources available at the library or online.  However, make sure you don’t go overboard because he/she has been using his/her brain all day at school.
• If your child has homework, review it or ask to see it. You might be surprised at the number of students who don’t complete it, or complete it incorrectly.  Older students may not require this, but at least ask if they have any.
• Make family dinner time a priority! Have time set aside each day in which you regularly dialogue with your child, talk about current events, ask about their friends and extracurricular activities, or discuss their goals and dreams.  This is important for 5 year olds as well as 15 year olds.  Be creative and have fun with these talks.
• For older students, use free time on the weekends to do fun activities but also make sure they are researching colleges, studying for standardized tests, thinking about career options, etc. Many times during the week, they do not have time to do those tasks.
• Celebrate victories with rewards and your praise. When your child does something well or shows progress, let them know.
• Pray with your child every day. Let them know that prayer is an important key to their success and keeping God first will open many doors for them.

Here’s to an awesome year!

~Coletta Jones Patterson