Cherrydale School

Parenting Tips

Have a family strategy. Help children to understand how punctuality will benefit everyone.
Make it fun by providing praise, rewards, and penalties. Create a goal chart and give each child a star for every occasion he or she has met the goal of being on time.
Relearn to tell time. Put on a CD when the kids wake up and ask them to be finished brushing their teeth by the time the first song is over, finished dressing by the end of the third song, etc.
Have a "preparation rule." Each night, ask the kids to lay out their clothes, put notebooks and backpacks by the front door, and choose their breakfast cereal.
Teach older children to work with daily planners.
Set a good example. Parents must be organized and ready to go!

Don't lose your cool: though many people see reports as motivating, they can also be demoralizing. "They can sap a child of his confidence," says Dr. Kenneth Shore, school psychologist and author of the Parent's Public School Handbook. "The report card is not a measure of your child's worth or of your parenting skills." But grades can have an impact on a child's future. Make this point constructively.
Accentuate the positive. Point out what your child is doing well, whether it's and academic subject or an extracurricular activity.
Look behind the grade: The report card only indicates that there is a problem. Compare your child's papers over the year to see his/her progress. If your child is trying his/her hardest and still not understanding the material, contact the teacher immediately.
Set goals for improvement: Goals help us get motivated, but be realistic. If a child is getting all C's on his/her report card now, expecting all A's the next time may be an unrealistic goal.
Contact but do not attach the teacher: If a parent has any questions at all, the first thing he or she should do is call the teacher for clarification.

Be a stage manager. Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lighted place to do homework. Make sure the needed materials (paper, pencils, etc.) are available.
Be a motivator. Homework provides a great opportunity for you to tell your child how important school is. Be positive about homework. The attitude you express will be the attitude your child acquires.
Be a role model. When your child does homework, don't sit and watch TV. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook. Help your child see the skills they are practicing are related to things you do as an adult.
Be a monitor. Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration. If your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers. If frustration sets in, suggest a short break.
Be a mentor. When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it. If homework is meant to be done alone, stay away. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills. Over involvement can be a bad thing.

Suggestions from a study done by Duke University's Harris Cooper's research on homework.

Cherrydale Elementary School