Help Your Child Do Well in School

Every parent wants their child to do well in school. But in addition to encouraging your child to eat breakfast, do homework, and get plenty of sleep there are other activities that directly contribute to your child's school success.

Reading

Reading with your child and later encouraging your child to read on his own will help him succeed in school. Start as early as possible; even babies will receive benefits for being read to. Begin small, with only a few minutes each time, but doing it several times per day. As your child grows, increase the reading time.

Encourage your child to be an active reader. Many baby books have textures, colors, and shapes that you can point out to your child. As he becomes more familiar with the book, have him point out different colors or shapes. When the books become more complex, try asking your child questions about the story. Ask questions that require him describe what the characters might be feeling, or what they might do next.

Even before your child learns to read, make sure there are plenty of reading materials in the house. A young child may simply like to look at pictures before he can decipher the text. Provide a variety of materials on a variety of subjects. Magazines, newspapers, and books can all be bought used to provide your child with reading material. Also regularly take your child to the library to pick out his own books. Treat these trips as exciting rewards and let your child get his own library card.

After your child begins to read and gets more confident in his abilities, encourage him to read to you. You can alternate reading pages or chapters to help the story go quicker and make the reading process less arduous for your child. If your child still likes you to read to them, pick more difficult books that you can enjoy together. There are many excellent children's books that have complex themes that you should discuss with your child. After ever chapter, ask for your child perception of what has occurred. Help him explore his feelings about things that might happen to the characters and explain anything that might be troubling.