| IntroductionAs a parent who wants the best for your | | | | possible destinations, sites of interest, driving or flying |
| children, there are | | | | routes, and how to dress appropriately for the climate |
| undoubtedly many things that you already do every | | | | of |
| day to | | | | your destination spot. If you're thinking of buying a new |
| help your children succeed in school. The purpose of | | | | car, |
| this | | | | let your kids take part in your consumer research, |
| article is to provide some practical ideas for you to | | | | comparing different car models according to a variety |
| try. Some | | | | of |
| of these suggestions may be new to you, many will | | | | pertinent criteria.Nurture good study habits and |
| be | | | | self-discipline. Set aside a |
| familiar, and some are just plain common sense but, | | | | regular, daily study time for homework in a quiet, |
| hopefully, they will all serve as reminders of the many | | | | well-lit |
| simple steps you can take that are too often taken | | | | room. Be sure that your kids have a study |
| for | | | | environment that's |
| granted or forgotten about, due to the hectic pace of | | | | sound physically, as well as conducive to mental |
| everyday living.Read to your kids, whatever their | | | | concentration. A quiet room is important, but so too is |
| agesFirst of all, read to your children. We all know that | | | | good |
| this is | | | | lighting, a chair that provides good back support and |
| important, but I'd like to point out that reading aloud | | | | access |
| should | | | | to all the materials that your children need to complete |
| begin in infancy. It can contribute to your baby's | | | | |
| developing | | | | projects. Supply them with pencils, erasers, rulers, and |
| attention span and receptive language skills. In addition, | | | | so |
| I'd | | | | forth.Encourage kids to keep their desk or other study |
| like to encourage parents to read to growing children, | | | | area neat |
| even | | | | and well organized. This will prevent lots of |
| once they are able to read on their own. Don't stop | | | | time-wasting |
| once your | | | | searches for materials and will really pay off as your |
| kids are in elementary school for, whatever the status | | | | children get older and their school assignments |
| of | | | | become |
| their reading skills, hearing a good book read aloud is | | | | more complex. Good organizational skills, which include |
| an | | | | the |
| experience apart.Being read to allows children to | | | | arrangement of physical objects, plus the logical |
| focus more on the | | | | structuring |
| descriptive passages and the action, rather than | | | | of the steps involved in completing any given project, |
| having to | | | | can |
| struggle with understanding every single word. It also | | | | last a lifetime.Take an interest in your kids' day-to-day |
| allows them to hear great children's stories that are | | | | school lifeTake an interest in your children's school |
| beyond | | | | projects. |
| their current reading level, and it's a wonderful way for | | | | Encourage them to show you reports they've written |
| a | | | | or |
| family to share a magical experience. Choose a | | | | pictures they've drawn. Make them see that you care |
| children's | | | | about |
| book that can also be enjoyed by you as an adult, | | | | what they're doing and about how they're doing, but |
| and have | | | | don't |
| a family reading session each evening or each week. | | | | make them feel like they're constantly being monitored |
| A | | | | or |
| classic children's story, such as "The Wind in the | | | | judged. Don't add pressure, just give them plenty of |
| Willows," | | | | support, |
| or the Harry Potter books might be perfect for your | | | | encouragement and praise for jobs well done. Provide |
| family, | | | | them |
| depending on the ages and interests of your | | | | with the resources they need (such as Internet |
| children.Encourage independent reading and library | | | | access, |
| useOffer quality children's literature to your growing | | | | library time, books and magazine articles) to do a |
| children and | | | | good job |
| encourage them to read on their own - at their own | | | | on school assignments, but... resist the temptation to |
| level and | | | | do the |
| at their own pace. Fiction and nonfiction can both | | | | school projects for them.Take the same approach |
| open up | | | | with everyday homework. If your |
| new worlds of knowledge and experience and help | | | | child's having trouble with a math problem, review the |
| prepare | | | | rules, |
| kids for success in school and in adult life, and don't | | | | explain the procedures, and check the results, but |
| forget | | | | don't just |
| that online children's stories are an exciting new | | | | give a child the answers. The learning process is |
| resource to | | | | more |
| add to your reading repertoire.Take your children to | | | | important than a list of correct answers to hand in to |
| the local public library. Be sure that | | | | the |
| each member of the family has his or her own library | | | | teacher.Go that extra mileAmong the most precious |
| card. | | | | gifts that you can give to your |
| Help your children see the public library not just as a | | | | children is your time. Put them first and make time for |
| place | | | | them. |
| associated with homework and drudgery, but rather | | | | Build a happy, stable home environment, full of love |
| as an | | | | and |
| exciting doorway to interesting information and | | | | security, and you've already gone a long way |
| adventure. | | | | towards |
| Encourage library book borrowing related to any | | | | helping your children thrive and succeed both in school |
| special | | | | and |
| topic that interests your kids - from astronomy to | | | | in life. Be involved in the big and the small events that |
| adventure | | | | make |
| stories, from fact to fantasy.Get your kids to | | | | up their daily lives. Offer your support, encouragement, |
| participate in some of the special free extra | | | | |
| activities and programs that are regularly scheduled in | | | | resources and love. Be there for them, no matter |
| many public libraries, like storyhours, craft projects, | | | | how busy |
| films, | | | | your professional life is or whatever other |
| and summer reading clubs. Take your children to | | | | commitments you |
| museums, concerts, puppet shows and the like. | | | | have. Before you know it your children will be grown |
| Expose | | | | up and |
| them to any forms of entertainment and cultural | | | | what they'll become depends largely on you. For their |
| enrichment | | | | sake, |
| that you may be lucky enough to have access | | | | as well as for your own, make the most of their |
| to.Develop effective research skills and good study | | | | childhood.There are no pearls of wisdom here, just a |
| habitsHelp your kids develop research skills that will | | | | refresher course |
| serve them | | | | in things that we've all heard a million times, but don't |
| well, not only on school projects, but later in daily life | | | | always stop to take them to heart. They're so |
| as an | | | | important that |
| adult. For instance, if you're planning a family trip, let the | | | | they deserve our attention, to periodically remind us of |
| | | | what |
| kids conduct library and Internet-based research on | | | | really counts in life. |