subject: Helping A Student Achieve [print this page] There are always kids that make success look easy, however the parents play a crucial role in how a child performs at school.
Most children who do well at school do so because their parents believe and support them
"How did you do at school today?" is the worst kind of question a parent can ask
Top achieving students have parents who praise effort not talent
You can do better, is a depressing and judgemental statement on any child
Encouraging effort not talent will make a child feel they are able to achieve
The parents prime task is to encourage kids to greater effort as no student is a self motivator
Assist a child to work their way through the decision process, rather than making the decision for the child
Even if it is not what you would have wanted for them, help the child feel you are supportive of what they decided on
As soon as a child makes a mistake assist them to realise how to prevent it next time, rather than focusing on the mistake
Rather than getting upset with a child's mistakes, react positively with them (we all learn more from our mistakes than we ever do from our successes)
Never criticize and condemn a child for making a mistake, after all they are the one who has to wear the results
Helping your child see that difficulties are chances to be overcome, not threats, is the way to your child's success
If your child fails to reach a self-appointed goal, encourage them to press on in spite of it and try again, even if the goal has to be altered. Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure
Above all don't set for your child goals that you dreamed of completing yourself. Your kid is an individual. Support that individuality and encourage your child to blossom to be the best they can be
