Even though we often try, it’s really hard to stay away from prying into your kid’s academic life. And how could even manage that when diplomas, knowledge, and experience are so important for their future. Even early education can bring plenty of benefits to your little ones. As adults, it can be completely baffling why kids might choose to put friends, video games or social media before studying. You probably think that today’s youth is unmotivated and entitled, but the truth is that they are just different and interested in different things. However, if you do your job as a parent properly, you can help your kids improve their academic results and ensure they have a brighter future ahead of them.
Get informed about their school
We all know parents should be patient, understanding and helpful when dealing with kids’ education, but that’s not all. In order to better connect with your kid and allow free talk about school, ensure you’re familiar with the institution. Find out where the entrance is, how the cafeteria is oriented, what there is in the gym and on athletic fields and so on. You can also find plenty of info about upcoming events, learn about staff, study the school calendar and check testing dates (all available on school, district or teacher websites). This way, when you communicate with your child, you will be up-to-date and able to provide just the right help.
Provide them with good early education
Early education is more important now than ever before. Globalization, AI, smart gadgets and appliances, robot workers and many other things that became popular in the last few years are seriously changing the workforce and education, so you need to give your kid a good start in life. Having a good mastery of the English language is especially important, so make sure to sign up your kids for classes. There are classes that teach phonics for kids so your little ones can acquire a good base that will allow them to become fluent speakers, good readers, and careful listeners in the future. With such help, your kids will have much better English skills than their peers which means a lot in early childhood and academia.
Encourage homework
Many parents and kids are against homework and that’s understandable. However, not every part of this (possibly outdated) activity is bad! Homework encourages out-of-the-classroom learning, helps with practicing important skills and knowledge and develops a sense of responsibility and work ethics in kids. All of these benefits of homework will come in handy once your kid is older. In order to control how much time your child spends on homework, use this formula: 10 minutes of homework per day per grade level. This means a fourth-grader can expect 40 minutes of homework every day. If you think your kid takes longer to finish their work, consult with their teacher, other parents and study councilors.
Provide them with good study space
A practical, comfortable and peaceful study space can make your kids’ study sessions a lot less unpleasant. Make sure every child has a sturdy desk, good lighting, and all necessary supplies at arm’s reach. Distractions should be at a minimum while setting timers for breaks can also help.
Enforce some rules
While you don’t want to treat studying as a punishment, there needs to be some rules that will reinforce good habits and homework. One of the most effective ones is “when you” rule. After your child finishes the work, they can get a reward—this creates a positive association with learning and studying. For instance, you can try saying “When you finish homework, we can talk about watching a movie” or “When you write that paper, you can go see your friends”. Once you come up with some rules related to studying, make sure to stick to them. If your kids are still too young to understand this system or create good study schedules alone, make sure to help them understand and learn by creating structures for them.
If you use these aforementioned tips and keep an open, positive and respectful relationship with your kids, you will help them start school with the right skills and finish it with great results and plenty of good habits they will find very useful in the future.
Peter Minkoff is a guest writer.
