| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | to all the materials that your children need to |
| Introduction | | | | complete projects. Supply them with pencils, |
| As a parent who wants the best for your | | | | erasers, rulers, and so forth. |
| children, there are undoubtedly many things that | | | | Encourage kids to keep their desk or other study |
| you already do every day to help your children | | | | area neat and well organized. This will prevent lots |
| succeed in school. The purpose of this article is to | | | | of time-wasting searches for materials and will |
| provide some practical ideas for you to try. Some | | | | really pay off as your children get older and their |
| of these suggestions may be new to you, many | | | | school assignments become more complex. Good |
| will be familiar, and some are just plain common | | | | organizational skills, which include the arrangement |
| sense but, hopefully, they will all serve as | | | | of physical objects, plus the logical structuring of |
| reminders of the many simple steps you can take | | | | the steps involved in completing any given |
| that are too often taken for granted or forgotten | | | | project, can last a lifetime. |
| about, due to the hectic pace of everyday living. | | | | Take an interest in your kids' day-to-day school |
| Read to your kids, whatever their ages | | | | life |
| First of all, read to your children. We all know that | | | | Take an interest in your children's school projects. |
| this is important, but I'd like to point out that | | | | Encourage them to show you reports they've |
| reading aloud should begin in infancy. It can | | | | written or pictures they've drawn. Make them see |
| contribute to your baby's developing attention | | | | that you care about what they're doing and about |
| span and receptive language skills. In addition, I'd | | | | how they're doing, but don't make them feel like |
| like to encourage parents to read to growing | | | | they're constantly being monitored or judged. |
| children, even once they are able to read on their | | | | Don't add pressure, just give them plenty of |
| own. Don't stop once your kids are in elementary | | | | support, encouragement and praise for jobs well |
| school for, whatever the status of their reading | | | | done. Provide them with the resources they need |
| skills, hearing a good book read aloud is an | | | | (such as Internet access, library time, books and |
| experience apart. | | | | magazine articles) to do a good job on school |
| Being read to allows children to focus more on | | | | assignments, but... resist the temptation to do the |
| the descriptive passages and the action, rather | | | | school projects for them. |
| than having to struggle with understanding every | | | | Take the same approach with everyday |
| single word. It also allows them to hear great | | | | homework. If your child's having trouble with a |
| children's stories that are beyond their current | | | | math problem, review the rules, explain the |
| reading level, and it's a wonderful way for a family | | | | procedures, and check the results, but don't just |
| to share a magical experience. Choose a children's | | | | give a child the answers. The learning process is |
| book that can also be enjoyed by you as an | | | | more important than a list of correct answers to |
| adult, and have a family reading session each | | | | hand in to the teacher. |
| evening or each week. A classic children's story, | | | | Help them discover their special talents |
| such as "The Wind in the Willows," or the Harry | | | | Set aside some time for engaging in special |
| Potter books might be perfect for your family, | | | | activities with your children. Build a model volcano |
| depending on the ages and interests of your | | | | together, perform science kit experiments, design |
| children. | | | | a family tree, build your own dollhouse, draw |
| Encourage independent reading and library use | | | | maps, etc. Make learning into a fun and creative |
| Offer quality children's literature to your growing | | | | process. Help your kids discover their own unique |
| children and encourage them to read on their own | | | | aptitudes and talents, as they discover new |
| - at their own level and at their own pace. Fiction | | | | subjects that might interest them throughout |
| and nonfiction can both open up new worlds of | | | | their lives. Stimulate your children's natural |
| knowledge and experience and help prepare kids | | | | intellectual curiosity and spark their desire to learn |
| for success in school and in adult life, and don't | | | | more, to take a subject to a deeper level. |
| forget that online children's stories are an exciting | | | | Give your kids an opportunity to participate in |
| new resource to add to your reading repertoire. | | | | extra-curricular activities: to learn to play a musical |
| Take your children to the local public library. Be | | | | instrument or to play team sports, for example. |
| sure that each member of the family has his or | | | | Again, expose your children to as many different |
| her own library card. Help your children see the | | | | skills and pastimes as possible, so that they can |
| public library not just as a place associated with | | | | discover which ones will really click with them. See |
| homework and drudgery, but rather as an | | | | where their aptitudes and proclivities lie, but don't |
| exciting doorway to interesting information and | | | | force them to participate in something if they |
| adventure. Encourage library book borrowing | | | | don't enjoy it and don't put undue pressures on |
| related to any special topic that interests your | | | | them. It's a cliché, but don't try to vicariously |
| kids - from astronomy to adventure stories, from | | | | live out your own dreams through your children. |
| fact to fantasy. | | | | Go to PTA meetings, attend school plays and |
| Get your kids to participate in some of the special | | | | music recitals. Once more, it's important to show |
| free extra activities and programs that are | | | | your kids that you care and that you share their |
| regularly scheduled in many public libraries, like | | | | interests and concerns, that you know what's |
| storyhours, craft projects, films, and summer | | | | going on in their lives and that you're proud of |
| reading clubs. Take your children to museums, | | | | their achievements. This kind of regular positive |
| concerts, puppet shows and the like. Expose | | | | reinforcement can help them develop |
| them to any forms of entertainment and cultural | | | | self-confidence and a solid sense of self-esteem. |
| enrichment that you may be lucky enough to | | | | Go that extra mile |
| have access to. | | | | Among the most precious gifts that you can give |
| Develop effective research skills and good study | | | | to your children is your time. Put them first and |
| habits | | | | make time for them. Build a happy, stable home |
| Help your kids develop research skills that will | | | | environment, full of love and security, and you've |
| serve them well, not only on school projects, but | | | | already gone a long way towards helping your |
| later in daily life as an adult. For instance, if you're | | | | children thrive and succeed both in school and in |
| planning a family trip, let the kids conduct library | | | | life. Be involved in the big and the small events |
| and Internet-based research on possible | | | | that make up their daily lives. Offer your support, |
| destinations, sites of interest, driving or flying | | | | encouragement, resources and love. Be there for |
| routes, and how to dress appropriately for the | | | | them, no matter how busy your professional life |
| climate of your destination spot. If you're thinking | | | | is or whatever other commitments you have. |
| of buying a new car, let your kids take part in | | | | Before you know it your children will be grown up |
| your consumer research, comparing different car | | | | and what they'll become depends largely on you. |
| models according to a variety of pertinent criteria. | | | | For their sake, as well as for your own, make the |
| Nurture good study habits and self-discipline. Set | | | | most of their childhood. |
| aside a regular, daily study time for homework in | | | | There are no pearls of wisdom here, just a |
| a quiet, well-lit room. Be sure that your kids have | | | | refresher course in things that we've all heard a |
| a study environment that's sound physically, as | | | | million times, but don't always stop to take them |
| well as conducive to mental concentration. A quiet | | | | to heart. They're so important that they deserve |
| room is important, but so too is good lighting, a | | | | our attention, to periodically remind us of what |
| chair that provides good back support and access | | | | really counts in life. |