The new school term has kicked-off and you are probably excited that your kids are going back to school after what appeared to be a pretty long break. The usual routine of paying for fees, getting them stationary and ensuring that your kids have a good term while focusing on their studies is what you may be focused on at the moment.
Despite all the preparations, do you think about your role as a parent beyond paying money and buying your children’s school supplies? This is an important aspect of parenting you must not lose sight of. You have your child’s welfare at heart but what role must you play in helping them with learning? To remind you of what you can do in helping your kids attain academic excellence, these are five tips you should consider.
1. Make time to study with them– Sometimes, parents make the mistake of thinking that children can handle it on their own. However, it is important to make time to help your kids with their studies, depending on your schedules. This can be done early in the morning before the kids leave for school (and before you leave for work) or in the evenings when you are all back at home. Trusting children to do it by themselves is not wrong, however, getting involved in the process makes children appreciate the importance of studying; they also get inspired to focus when their parents avail themselves to help them with their studies.
2. Do not use learning as a punishment– Some parents reserve studying at home as a punishment for children. In some Ghanaian homes, if a child does something undesirable, they are scolded and yelled at to go pick up a book and read. It is not wrong to ask a child to read but the problem is if reading/studying is consistently used as a punishment for children. That way, they lose the excitement in studying.
3. Intentionally motivate children– Paying school fees alone is not enough; encouraging children to study is important. If possible, promise them something they have always wanted if they read a book until the end or if they make good grades in an exam. Just as you need motivation as an adult sometimes, children need motivation too.
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4. Give them extra tuition on weekends– If your child’s performance is not encouraging in a certain subject, you can arrange for extra tuition over the weekends. You can start by teaching them or engaging the service of a teacher to take them through what they learned in school. Extra classes if timed properly and well managed can yield fruitful results.
5. Engage them in educational games– Children can learn through play. They can learn to spell, count and do simple arithmetic among others through games or even music. Find ways to incorporate educational games in the activities of your children.
As simple as they may seem, these five tips can see your kids through a successful school term. What other ways can parents contribute to the academic progress of their kids? Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for parenting tips by filling the form below.
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