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Andie Adolph

Do You Want Your Child to Excel in School this Year ?

If you want your kids to do well in school, it is vital that you take a more active role in their education. Kids who have parents that pay attention to their needs will tend to have fewer school problems and will grow up to be more successful in life. So if you have the misconception that a parent's job is simply to send their kids to school and pick them up at the end of the day, it is time you re-consider your role!

So how can parents help to provide their kids to excel in school? First and foremost, you have to understand that a school is not just a place for your children to learn and do well in their subjects. You too have been to school before. Was getting good grades the only thing on your mind back then? Maybe. But definitely not to everybody and if your child is facing school problems other than his studies, it will affect his grades in the examinations. Below are 6 tips for you to help your kids do better in school.

1. Pay attention to what your kids are telling you
It is important to listen to your kids because only when you do so can you get your kids to trust you. Many parents make the mistake of being judgmental when their kids tell them their problems. Unless you remain non-judgmental and receptive, over time your kids will not tell you their problems anymore.

One example is if your kid tells you that he is being offered drugs at school, refrain from going into a long lecture on the ill-effects of using drugs. Instead, listen to what your kid has to say with regards to his feelings. Was he being bullied or maybe he wanted to be accepted by his peers. Listen first before asking is he needed your advice. Only when he says 'yes' do you offer your advice. That will help to build your kid's trust in you.

It is understandable that you might find it very difficult to listen to your kid without being judgmental but a loving, natural response is the best way to protect your kids. You cannot be with your kids all the time, especially when they are away at school so you have to make them trust you enough to want to tell you everything. The worst thing that can happen is for them to stop coming to you for help but seek help from somewhere else instead. You will have no control over whom they ask!

2. Understand that every child is an individual
No two kids are exactly the same, not even identical twins! Thus, it is crucial that you refrain from comparing your child to other kids. If you find that your child is academically slower than others, do not worry too much about it or scold your child for not being as fast as other children. There is definitely an untapped reserve of attributes and talents. You will just need to discover and develop on those reserves. You need to let your children know that they are important and that you love them for who they are. Make them realize that you will continue to love them no matter how they do in school and they will grow up to be confident adults.

Instead of reprimanding them for scoring poor grades, challenge them to score better in the next examination. Celebrate their success even if it is only a small improvement. Bear in mind that Einstein was considered by his teachers to be a slower learner and he definitely had many school problems back then but he had indeed achieved great successes.

3. Reading to your kids or get them to read to you
This is especially important if your kids are very young. It is never too early to start reading to your children. In fact, I started reading to my twins when they were 3 months old! This will help to build up their love for reading. If your kids are older, you can engage them by asking them questions about the stories that you have read. If your kids can answer you or if they even ask you questions, that shows that they are making connections with the stories or with the new information they have learnt.

As your kids grow bigger, get them to read to you. This will help them to practise their phonetics in a warm, caring and non-threatening environment. It will go a long way in helping them later on when they attend school as they will question when they have queries and they will not be fearful of speaking up in class.

4. Encourage your kids to read
Reading stories are a vital part of our lives. Just ask yourself, do you remember your Math, English or Science lessons that you had attended in school? But do you remember the story: "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"? Reading is important because stories engage the minds and helps to better retain the new information. So your first step to helping your child to excel in school is to encourage him to pick up the habit of reading. Apart from reading to your kids, encourage them to read when they are free.

5. Practice your patience with your kids
Nobody is perfect, not even you so why should you be intolerant towards your children when they make mistakes? Do not get angry with your kids when they are unable to understand a new concept. What they need is repetition. You can engage your children in a fun activity whenever you feel yourself getting impatient or when you feel that they've had enough. Getting angry with your children will only make the environment become threatening and they will not be able to learn well that way either, so keep your cool!

6. Be positive, supportive and encouraging to your children at all times
Regardless of how old your kids are, they will all be receptive to positive re-enforcement from you. Be generous with your compliments such as "Good boy! Well done!" or "What a great job you've done! Keep it up!" This will encourage your kids to want to continue to do well and it helps to let them know that you are supportive of them. Make them realize that you will always be supportive and love them no matter what happens.

Stella Mak is a qualified school teacher with over 18 years of experience and she is also the mother of a pair of twins. She runs an informative blog at [http://www.childrenproblemshelpdesk.com] where she shares with you her tips on solving children problems.

To take advantage of this useful information as well as to get lots of FREE children resources such as parenting tips, school worksheets, children activities and teaching strategies, make sure you also check out Stella's website at [http://www.essentialsforparents.com]"

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stella_Mak

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