What your child needs for school
What does your child really need as they head to school?
~A number 2 pencil and a willingness to erase.
~A healthy respect for themselves and for others, especially their teachers.
~An awareness that the world does not revolve around them and that they alone are responsible for their actions.
~Parents who teach them by example a love of reading, learning and life.
~An assurance that school is a good, safe place and their teachers will like them.
~An understanding that school is their "job" and no one else can do it for them.
~A system for exchanging communication between school and home; a backpack and folder to keep important notices and items to be signed.
~A quiet place and consistent time to do homework with a daily chance to read aloud and to be read to.
~A plan for getting to school on time every morning and back home.
~Someone to welcome them home (what-ever time that may be) from school; to laugh at their jokes, answer their questions and really listen to what they say and don't say.
~The encouragement to try new things; the freedom to fail; and the chance to try again.
~The gifts of being well-fed, well rested, well cared for after school.
~The confidence to know how to deal with bullies. (Stand up straight, look them in the eye, don't start a fight, but don't back down, get the teacher involved)
~The confidence to ask questions and to never stop asking questions, especially "Why?"
~To feel that they are great at something, but also know that it is OK not to be good at everything.
~To spend more time with humans and less time with machines/game systems.
~To have nothing to do once in a while so they can learn to be creative with what they have.
~More than anything, they need someone to love them unconditionally, no matter how they perform at school.