Parent

Parent Information

Be involved in your child’s education.  

An involved parent doesn't do it for their student but rather supports and encourages discipline and celebrates successes, while reviewing failures with positive attitude of what could be done better in the future.  Everything is a learning opportunity. 

"Research shows that a home environment that encourages learning is even more important than parents' income, education level, or cultural background.  By actively participating in their child's education at home and in school, parents send some critical messages to their child; they're demonstrating their interest in his/her activities and reinforcing the idea that school is important."

Staying involved – the middle and high school years

In adolescence, children become more independent and usually don’t want their parents in school. In middle and high school, students have to deal with more courses and more teachers in a more impersonal way, so parent involvement, although less direct, is still critical. Parents can participate in events at school, monitor homework, provide experiences and materials that supplement course work, and help children with organizational strategies. Parents can influence their children’s academic progress by encouragement, reinforcement, and modeling. Children learn from their parents’ own learning styles and activities, such as discussions, newspapers and other reading materials, television habits and quests for information and knowledge.

How parent involvement pays off

When parents contribute effort and time, they have the opportunity to interact with teachers, administrators, and other parents. They can learn first-hand about the daily activities and the social culture of the school, both of which help them understand what their child's life is like.

The child and the school both benefit, and parents serve as role models as they demonstrate the importance of community participation. In addition to improving academic progress, parental involvement pays off in other significant ways. Numerous studies have shown that parents' involvement is a protective factor against adolescent tobacco use, depression, eating disorders, academic struggles, and other problems. By staying involved with their child and/or teenager, parents can be a source of support, create a climate for discussing tough issues and serve as role models for responsible and empathic behavior." 

Orginally published http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/involved_parents_hidden_resource_in...

 

Financial info for parents wanting to start saving for college: