Every parent knows that success in school is important for success in adult life. Parents want to help ensure that success, but what, exactly, can they do to help? Here are ten steps to helping your child succeed in school this year. 1. Develop a schedule: Many families today are incredibly busy. In the rush to meet all the demands upon each family member from school, work, sports, arts and socializing - school sometimes gets crowded to the rear. One way to prevent that from happening is to develop a firm but flexible schedule - allowing sufficient time to meet each of the essentials. 2. Don't Overextend: Many times, when a family begins creating a schedule, it becomes clear that there are simply too many activities to fit. School Success may require being a little less involved in extra-curricular activities. It may also mean that parents find they have to cut a few of the extras out of their lives, too. 3. Get plenty of rest: Many students simply do not get enough sleep. Eight hours is actually the minimum number of hours a child should sleep each night. It is best to get more sleep. And don't count on weekends to "catch up" on missed sleep. It simply doesn't work that way. Adequate sleep is needed for each day to ensure optimal school performance. 4. Eat right: Poor nutrition and skipped meals lead to the same feelings of exhaustion and weakness that come from lack of sleep. Schedule in meals that include a good breakfast and minimal fast food. Make sure there are plenty of healthful snacks available for after school - like fruit, raw veggies, cheese and pop corn. And watch that soda consumption, too much sugar can make you feel sluggish. 5. Stay well stocked: Purchase good school supplies and keep them in stock. Nothing is more frustrating than discovering you are out of glue or your markers are all dried up, just as you are beginning the project that is due tomorrow. 6. Make homework a priority: Skipped homework can shipwreck an otherwise excellent grade average. Be certain to allot sufficient time for homework to be completed in a distraction-free atmosphere. Preferably the time … [Read more...]
Parenting advice and guidance
The present generation, unlike the previous one, is very fast in all aspects like grasping power, acumen and other staple features. It may not be out of place to mention here of a programme on ‘CNBC18’ channel, titled ‘Achieving India’ which was awe inspiring. Here comes the role of the parents in grooming them to be so. The sterling qualities like discipline, respecting elders, facilitating their children to participate in various cultural activities like singing, dancing, sports etc. help their children to hog the limelight. In fact, daily we see a number of musical participation by children on various language channels who excel in their respective field despite their age, education etc. All these traits in the children are ascribed to the parents alone and none else. In these days, the children, once they attain youth, gain independence from their parents as they feel they are wise enough to fend for themselves which is a wrong notion as these types of youth would not have got the basic cultural nurturing from their parents. This amply shows that the parents are the guiding force in shaping their children’s future. Parents should take the onus of tracking their wards activities, both inside and outside school and keep a tab of their circle of friends, garner information from some of the children’s proximate friends, from time to time, to correct their wards and ensure that they do not deviate from the disciplined routine. It is also the parents duty and responsibility to be in touch with their School Teachers, College Lecturers/Professors etc. to know about any shortcomings in their behaviour with the faculty, friends etc. by which the parents can educate their children to desist from such unhealthy situations. Author: Jaganmohan Rao (Bangalore) … [Read more...]
