*This is a partnered post
Raising your child to be healthy, happy, and responsible might seem like a daunting task. There are plenty of simple things you can do however, to help your child succeed. Below are a few helpful ways to ensure your child’s success.
Stress the importance of organization
This practice can apply to many different things your child participates in, including school projects, prioritizing chores, etc. Often, it’s not a lack of skill with the activity that creates difficulty, but a lack of organization when attempting it.
When children learn organization skills, they can focus more fully on the activity instead of constantly searching for the right tools to complete it. Teach them to think about what they need ahead of time, as well as how long the task may take and what steps are needed to complete the process.
Ironically, breaking a project or activity into “bite-sized” pieces makes it easier for children to see the bigger picture. They’re able to piece together a beginning, followed by sequential steps, and then completion. This is also a great opportunity to role model how you organize your contribution to the activity, event, or project.
Get involved with their school and extracurricular activities.
Some parents get really involved with their children’s activities and some just a little. How involved you are is not as important as simply being involved, even if it’s in small ways. By being a part of your child’s life away from home, you help bring two familiar worlds together for them. You’re involved in communities outside of the family together. increasing their sense of belonging in a broader sense.
Being there also shows them that you value what they’re doing and that you’ll be there when they need something. In addition, you’ll build relationships with your child’s teachers, school administrators, coaches, and other parents, increasing accountability for both you and your child.
Suit up and show up
Although there are certain things that certainly warrant a day home from school – such as a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting – it’s important that children understand the importance of consistent attendance.
You can help instill this value in your child by making sure you are both up early enough to get ready and get to school on time. Although you are your child’s backup for this expectation, you can encourage them to set their own alarm by their bed as well.
It’s also important for your child to understand the repercussions of being late to school and other activities. Knowing they will fall behind in classwork can make staying home from school less appealing. Knowing the attendance policy of their school will help them foresee any disciplinary problems before they are necessary, too.
Make time to discuss their day
We all need closure at the end of the day, especially children. One way to help your child achieve this is by asking about their day. This allows them to take their jumbled thoughts about their experiences (both good and bad) and articulate them to a familiar ear.
This helps relieve any stress or anxiety that may have built up during the day and helps your child wind down for the evening. Avoid allowing your child to linger too long on the not-so-good parts and encourage them to take a solution-based perspective in the future instead.
Never underestimate the value of study skills
Similar to organizational skills, study skills can be applied in any environment where learning or training is involved, including researching for a term paper, passing a driving test, and continued education credits for work.
Explain to your child how you have used study skills in your life. For example, did you have to juggle a full-time job while completing college? How did you organize and prioritize to accomplish this? Share a time in your life when study skills were essential to accomplish your goals.
As you learn more about your child’s learning style, you can begin to see which study skills they need to improve on and emphasize when they are challenged with assignments or projects.
Make sure you find a school that is the perfect fit for your child. Schools are not necessarily a “one size fits all” kind of thing. Tucson Charter School is committed to your child’s success in every way. From learning how to organize effectively to valuing punctuality, we understand that every success story begins with the life skills necessary to achieve it.
