Author: Sheaff, Maryann

The ABCs of helping parents get their children off to a flying start at school.

A Attend all school functions.
B Be aware of the damage that you will cause by telling your child that he or she is stupid. The child may believe you.
C Communicate the importance of education to your child.
D Don’t criticize a teacher, textbook, or school in front of your child, as the child will adopt your attitude.
E Encourage your child to talk about what happened at school each day.
F Fix your child a good breakfast every day.
G Good readers are made, not born. Read to your child for ten minutes every day.
H Help your child get organized for school the night before.
I Impress upon your child the importance of a good attendance
record.
J Join the parent-teacher organization at your child’s school.
K Keep up with what is happening at your child’s school.
L Lying for your child is not acceptable. You should not write fake excuses for a child who doesn’t do homework or misses a day of school.
M Monitor the amount of television and the types of programs your child watches.
N Never do homework or projects for your children. Instead, help them with homework and projects.

O Observe the work your child brings home from school each day.
P Praise something in every bit of work that your child brings home even if you can only say how neatly his or her name is written.
Q Quiet corners in your home encourage study. Set up a special study area for your child.
R Request conferences with teachers or counselors when trouble begins to appear. Don’t wait until a full-grown problem has developed.
S Send a happy, well-rested, well-organized, and appropriately dressed child off to school each morning.
T Take your child to the library on a regular basis.
U Understand that learning is not always easy and that your child may need help at times.
V Value your child as an individual. Never compare a child to a brother, sister, or another child.
W Work with your child’s teachers at school. Always consider yourself as a partner of your child’s teacher rather than an adversary.
X X is often an unknown ingredient. It’s the extra special things you will do to help your child succeed in school.
Y You are the child’s most important teacher.
Z Zip it all with love. Love gives zest to life.