BECOMING AN INVOLVED PARENT

These days, you cannot expect your child to succeed in school on their own. As a parent, you must be involved in your child’s schooling to support their eventual success. This is true regardless of your child’s age or grade. Whether they’re in grade school, middle school or high school, you need to know how they are progressing. You don’t want to go along thinking everything is fine only to be blindsided by a failing report card.

Take the opportunity to get to know your child’s teachers and other school professionals, including the principal, counselors and secretaries. Make a plan with them to stay in contact through periodic phone calls, emails or texts. Having a relationship with your child’s teachers will come in handy if grades start to slip or other situations, such as bullying, arise.

Many parents contact their child’s school only when they are upset about something. But the best way to build a strong relationship with school staff is to make positive contact whenever possible. Show appreciation for the efforts teachers and counselors are making to help your child. Everyone benefits when the relationship between home and school is positive and cooperative.

As with parenting in general, being engaged with your children and staying involved with their school-related activities will make them so much more likely to succeed in their academic endeavors.