In our previous blog on helping your child succeed at school, we discussed a few contributing factors to your child’s academic success and general school performance. Today, we take it a step further with additional tips to improve the cognitive and overall performance of your child at school. Keep reading below.
Helping Your Child Succeed at School: Read Together
It’s incredible how many teachers and educational coaches are in agreement that reading to your child assists in their school performance. Remember that you are your child’s most foremost teacher, and charity starts at home. When reading to your child, be sure to discuss the moral of the story, ask questions and make sure that the reading material is of interest to your child, but also educational. Great topics to start with include coming-of-age stories, stories aligned with character building, courage and humility.
Take Note of What Your Child is Learning at School
Make sure that you remain invested in your child’s journey at school by keeping your finger on the pulse of what they are actually learning. Talk to your child’s teacher about a homework diary—if they don’t already have one—about making notes on study material and homework activities, or extra credit material. This way, if your child needs assistance with schoolwork at home, you’ll always be up to scratch on what they’re actually doing in the classroom.
Show Enough Encouragement & Praise
Like every other person, your child needs a pat on the back—or a happy dance—every now and then. Make sure you realise your child’s milestones, big or small. If there are specific interests that your child is passionate about, encourage them to continue with it, and recognise when they accomplish certain goals. Similarly, if your child has a subject or specific area s/he struggles with at school, ensure that you cheer him/her on when they manage to achieve even the smallest of victories. Children are extremely cognisant of when their parents are proud of them. Always make sure s/he knows that about you.
Allow Room for Mistakes
This point similar to our previous blog’s point that you shouldn’t have unrealistic expectation of your child. Make sure that you allow your child the ability to learn from their consequences! Success and failure are both a fundamental part of growing up, and you need to realise that it’s okay to let go of the reigns every now and then—even when it’s so tempting. Some of life’s greatest lessons start with appreciating failure so that you know not to do something next time. This way, reaping the fruits of your labour is so much more rewarding—and it’s just so, so much sweeter!
Remember that being a parent is almost always a work-in-progress journey, as you’re always adapting to your child’s ever-changing needs. Academic success is possible, and varies according to every child’s strengths. If you feel that your child is having difficulty advancing at school despite your best efforts, consult with me to discuss potential options today.