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A Critical Stepping Stone
10 Tips to Help Your Child Breeze Through Middle School
By Kate Midden
Schedule nightly sessions to discuss progress and problems in school. Ask questions and review homework. Let your children teach you. Value this special time with your child, and it will make them value their education.
Develop a relationship with your child's teachers. They see your child for one to six hours a day and have the best view of your child's progress in class. They can also alert you to potential issues they've noticed that might affect your child's welfare. Teachers appreciate these relationships, and will give you honest insight into your child and any problems they might be experiencing.
Set a positive example for your children. Assess your parenting skills on a regular basis. What type of role model are you? How involved a parent? What type of person? Are you fair and honest in your relationships with your friends, your parents and your children? Do you take your frustrations out on your children?
10. Shower Them with Love.Love your children for who they are. Accept them – their strengths, their weaknesses, their mistakes and their nuances. Help them understand the importance of focusing on personal growth, and encourage them to set their bar high. Allow them to make decisions and learn the repercussions, but set guidelines appropriate for their age and maturity level. Believe in them unconditionally, and teach them to believe in themselves. Let them know that nothing they do or any mistake they make will make you love them any less. This is the single most influential factor in helping your child develop the self-esteem and confidence to ensure a happy and successful middle school experience.