8 Ways to Make Your Child’s Elementary School Years a Success

The school year has just begun! Children that are in elementary school often need guidance about how to be a good student and help in developing effective habits that they can carry with them into junior high, high school, and even college. Below is a list of 8 ways that we as adults and parents can assist the younger ones in their school careers.

1. Encourage reading – There’s not doubt that elementary school kids will be spending time at school reading. It is so important that they continue to read at home, as well. As a family, set up a specific reading time that works well with all family member’s schedules. Maybe it’s 10-30 minutes a night or maybe it’s every other day. Be a role model for your children by participating in reading with them at home. If they see you reading on a regular basis, then that will help them form good habits and encourage them to want to read on their own time.

2. Set up homework guidelines – Make it clear right at the beginning of the school year what the homework expectations are at home. Have your child find a quiet place to work that is clear of all distractions. Turn off the TV, any music, and have them put all electronics away so that they can really focus. Some children need a break right after school and may want to start their homework a little later. It’s a wise idea to let your child relax for a half hour or hour after school, have a snack, and then focus on their homework. By setting up these expectations, they will be able to concentrate better and get their work done with no disruptions.

3. Teach them how to be organized – Many elementary school kids don’t know how to handle school and what it means to be a good student. One of the keys to success is to be organized! It’s a good idea to start when they are younger and teach them the organizational skills that they can use throughout their entire school career. Having a separate folder for each class and/or binders that are labeled are very helpful. As the parent, you can check in with them during the week to make sure all papers are put in the proper place and remind them to be organized. Children’s backpacks can also become disorganized very quickly. Have them do a weekly clean out of their backpacks so that they don’t end up with papers at the bottom of their bags and end up turning in assignments late.

4. Attendance Matters! – It is extremely important that all students go to school every day and arrive on time. When students miss a lot of school and classes, they can easily fall behind and then end up having a lot of make-up work to do. Children should only be staying home for important situations like a serious sickness or family emergency. Some schools also have strict attendance policies and there may be consequences after a certain number of tardies or absences.

5. Be Involved – Each school has their own Meet the Teacher Night and Parent Teacher Conferences. Try hard to attend both of these so that you can learn about the school, the rules, the teacher and the expectations. There are also other opportunities for parents to get involved such as volunteer work or becoming a room mom or room dad. By being involved, it’s showing the community and the kids that you care and are supportive. Not all parents are able to do this which is understandable, but just know that there are numerous ways for parents to be involved and active.

6. Communicate with your child – Check in with your child every single day to see what happened at school and what they learned. Sometimes you’ll get the reply of “It was a good day,” or “I didn’t learn anything today.” All parents experience these replies! Just be patient and keep asking questions that will hopefully open up a conversation. Children like to know that their parents care about them and what happened during their day.   Also, communicate with your child about their grades. Check in with them to see where they may be struggling and how you can assist them in getting the help that they need. Some children are ashamed at not doing well and don’t want to vocalize it. It’s important for children to recognize where they are having trouble so that they can seek out help.

7. Make sure they get a good nights sleep – Studies have shown that children need around 10 hours a sleep a night. Anything less than that can have impacts on their learning and functioning throughout the day. Unfortunately, many kids are put under so much stress that they are not getting the rest and sleep that they need. Try to create a regular schedule and pattern for your kids so that they do try to get to bed at a reasonable time. One idea is to start turning off all electronics an hour or half an hour before bedtime so that their minds are not as stimulated.

8. Let them be kids – It’s important for kids to be involved with activities outside of school such as sports, music lessons, clubs at school, plays, musicals, etc. Sometimes kids and/or their parents get them involved in too many activities and this can lead to burn out. Remember to let kids be kids! This is the time when they should be playing, socializing, and being creative. When I was a kid (back in the good old days), I spent countless hours outside, playing games, and riding bikes. As adults, we know how stressful our lives are and before we know it, those children will be adults, too. Try to help them find a good balance between being a good student and having a childhood.

Written by Sarah Kochan