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Ways You Can Help Your Child Succeed in School as a Dad

Parents are the child’s first teacher. Children tend to do better in school when the family and parents, especially the dad, are involved. According to different studies, the family contribute more to a child’s school success than money or parents’ education level.

Parents can individually participate in a child’s education activities in different ways. This article will focus more on what a dad can do to help children’s educational journey.

Here are some of the ideas that fathers need to consider when they want to make a positive impact on their child’s schooling.

Visiting the school once in a while

You will have an easy time when you talk to your child about school day if you know the physical school layout. Take your time to know the location of important places in the school compound like:

  • Playground
  • Cafeteria
  • Auditorium
  • Main office
  • School nurse
  • Athletic fields
  • Special classes

You can visit the school website to see things like:

  • Staff contact information
  • The school calendar
  • Testing dates
  • Upcoming school events

Teach your child organization skills

When your kids are organized, they spend most of the time focused on schoolwork rather than getting sidetracked and hunting things down. You should teach your child things like taking care of assignment books, making good use of classroom storage furniture and keeping track of the projects and homework.

Always check your child’s assignment books and homework folder every night after completing your work. You can create a register to sign or check things that your child should do by the end of the school day.

Get involved

Regardless of your child’s level of education, you need to get involved in some school activities. This is a good sign to show a child that you are interested in their education. Many school children, especially those in their early years in school, like to see their parents at school or school events.

However, some children might be uncomfortable seeing their father in school or school activities. In such a situation, you can take small steps behind the scenes. Ensure you communicate clearly that you are not there to spy but trying to help the school community.

Here are a selection of things a dad can get involved in school:

  • Being a homeroom parent or classroom helper
  • Planning class parties
  • Being present in school board meetings
  • Chaperoning field trips
  • Story reading or telling in class
  • Giving career talks
  • Working on special events like car washes

Take school attendance seriously

Sick students should not attend school if they are vomiting, have a fever or have diarrhea. Also, children complaining about pain or having appetite loss can benefit from a sick day.

However, students must arrive at the right time in school every day to avoid the stress associated with catching up with classwork and homework. Ensure you talk to the class teacher about the class and homework if your child is missing school because of illness. You should learn the school attendance policy.

Sometimes students avoid school because they have problems with grades, assignments, classmates or teachers. Situations like this can result in real symptoms like stomach aches or headaches. Therefore, talk to your child and, if need be, the teachers to find solutions if you think there is a problem in school.

You can talk to a school psychologist or counselor to help out. While at home, set rules to sleep early to avoid tired and tardy students. A consistent sleep time can help your child be alert in school hence improving the performance.

Create time to talk with your child about school

After work, before bedtime, talk to your child about what took place in school during the day, in class and outside. Become familiar with the books your child is reading and some of the questions being worked on.

As a dad, you might be busy and forget to ask simple questions that can greatly impact your child’s school performance. Make time to converse with your child so that he or she can know that everything happening in school is as important to you as it is to them.

Children tend to take activities in school seriously when they know you are concerned and interested in what happens. The conversation is a two-way thing. Therefore, the way you listen and respond to your child can influence his or her ability to talk and listen.

 

In a nutshell

These early years in school are a very important time for a dad to be supportive and informed about their child’s schooling activities. What you will do as a dad in your child’s education journey will affect how they grow and develop as a young learner.

Jeff Campbell