When parents get involved in the academic (and other) aspects of their childs school life, a certain kind of magic happens. A new partnership is formed between the parents, teachers and the child, and the entire schooling process takes on a richer, revitalized meaning.More and more parents are beginning to realize that home and school are not so separate a set of concepts, after all. The message that a big number of success stories bears is...more
Extensive research confirms that a proper parent-teacher relationship will result in a child performing better at school. The connection may not be immediately obvious, but the simple fact is that children who know that their parents take a personal interest in their school life take their studies more seriously. Among other things, this is because all children seek their parents approval, and seeing a high degree of parental interest in their...more
As a parent, you tend to have a very different approach to your child's education than his teacher has. Your primary focus will be on what kind of knowledge your kid picks up at school - the teacher is more interested in the manner in which that knowledge is acquired. This is often a major source of parent teacher disconnect, but it is important to understand that the process is as important as the product - if not more so. After all, it is the process that decides how long and how usefully your child retains the knowledge. If you occasionally find yourself thinking that your child's teacher could be helping your child learn faster, remember this vital fact.Another lacuna in the parent teacher relationship can be the parent's and the teacher's perception of how the child's education is progressing at school. As a parent, you may tend to trust your child's feedback on this more than his teacher's. Not surprising, there is a definite and understandable personal bias involved - a bias that has a lot to do with our perceptions of ourselves.If we care to remember that we see our children as extensions of ourselves, it is pretty obvious that we will not judge our kids too harshly. A...more
It's the same story every year you worry about whether the new teachers will understand your child. Will the teacher adapt to your child's individual learning speed? Will she be able to recognize your child's special aptitudes and talents? You don't want to be the overbearing, interfering parent, but you still want to know these things.You...more
Before you accuse me / Take a look at yourself. - Before You Accuse Me, Eric ClaptonThere are no perfect teachers - but there aren't any perfect parents either. This is something for us parents to keep in mind before we launch our next diatribe against our child's schoolteachers. The knowledge of our imperfection often haunts us enough to make us...more
Single parent fathers inhabit a world that requires the male of the species to sneer at and overcome all obstacles. His support network is nowhere as formidable as the kind single mothers enjoy. Most single parent fathers are on their own on the job. This does not include day-to-day parenting alone - many single fathers have to tackle the challenges of their child's school lives, too. Picture a single dad helping his kid with homework, getting him ready for school each morning, meeting teachers and attending local PTA meetings and you are picturing a rather beleaguered man at the best of times.Though not all single fathers complain about this, the fact remains that they also have to contend with a certain genre of women in whom they seem to catalyze some very unhelpful motherly instincts. Such women are overwhelmed with a need to be a mother both to the child and the father, and 'adopt' both for all the wrong reasons. The parenting world is geared for mothers, not fathers. This means that single fathers have to operate in a world that believes that they are simply not equipped to care adequately for their children.Let's Hear It For The New Breed Of Single Dads!Be that as it may,...more
Developing a powerful parent teacher connection is an essential element in building the strongest scaffolding to success. It is the parent teacher connection that dictates the strength of the bond between the home and the classroom.Fluid...more
Let's face it - your child is not going to breeze through each school year without problems. There will come a point when there are issues with attendance, homework, a classmate or even a particular teacher's approach to dealing with the kids under...more
Parents can and do sometimes lose it! Are you sometimes pushed to the limit by your child? Are there moments when you suddenly yell at your child or grab at the toy being played with and unfairly put it away? oThe noise it too great: oSibling...more
Child custody has always been a delicate issue. There are support groups, and free aid from most states to assist people in this position. Sadly, however, much of the help does not deal with the real reality of the domestic court system and what you...more
If the area of Who Else Needs Help and Advice with Autism, Aspergers, ASD? is one you find to be of interest why not give Autism, Aspergers and ASD Empowering Parents-Ebook a try? If youre like me, you probably spend a lot of time doing research...more
1. First of all you want to get on your knees and see the room from your childs perspective. You want to make sure that you get furniture for a child. For example, bookshelves and child size hangers instead of adult wire hangers that are...more