As a parent, you set the tone in your family about learning.
As we head into back-to-school season, keep these tips in mind to ensure that your family steps out on the right foot for the new school year.
1. Get connected.
Staying ahead of the game in knowing what’s going on at your child’s school can help you feel relaxed and help your child feel supported. Sign up for updates, read emails, and check daily communication from the school that might be coming home with your child.
2. Create space.
Make a place in your home conducive to studying, reading, and completing assignments and projects. Reduce distractions and allow your child to have input into what they need in their home workspace to help them focus.
3. Find balance.
Education is important and should be a priority, but making time for family and fun is also critical. Find your child’s unique pattern of needs to help them do what they have to do so that they can do what they want to do.
4. Take care.
Children learn best when they are nurtured and nourished. Providing guidance and support when it comes to balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and the right amount of rest and relaxation will assist them both in and out of the classroom.
5. Be positive.
Your child watches and listens to you, so be enthusiastic about learning. Share stories about your own educational experience. Be genuinely excited about what they are learning at school.
Most importantly, keep loving your child through all the highs and lows that they experience during the school year. They may have to earn grades, but they don’t have to earn your love and support. You are your child’s first teacher, and they need you as a loving presence to be successful.
This is Kimberly Baker for Church Health.