New Year, new resolutions: help your children succeed in school

A new year always offers new opportunities for our lives. As we welcome 2024 with our best wishes, we would like to bring your attention to a very important matter related to parenting and school education. 

As a parent, finding the right school for your kids remains a challenge! This holds especially when looking for a place where your values are respected and people there share your beliefs. 

Good parenting goes beyond providing your kids with all their material needs; it is also about getting involved, nurturing them spiritually, and helping them thrive!

When you’ve finally chosen the best school for your kids, now comes the most important part: helping them to succeed and progress with ease during the sometimes challenging path of receiving an education. 

And because we’re convinced that education is a powerful tool, capable of transforming lives, here you’ll find some tips for parents eager to make the most of the opportunities they’re offering to their kids. 

Parents and teachers must be allies

One of the first things to keep in mind is that, as a parent, you cannot be watching your children’s backs 24/7. From an early age, kids start attending school, and this means they are often under other adults’ supervision. 

Ideally, this is the modern embodiment of the saying “It takes a village to raise a child”. In reality, for this to happen, there should be excellent communication among the involved adults and even the kids!

Good alliances work because both parties share interests and are willing to help each other to achieve their goals.

Teachers and parents must be great allies for the sake of the children. Education will be enhanced only if the people participating in it are synched and ready to collaborate. 

A true alliance will create a safe space for the children to make the most out of their experience at school and ace all the challenges a formal education represents. They’ll learn to enjoy learning!

The greatest reward for committed parents is their kids’ satisfaction and success. Keep reading to get some good recommendations for parents who are looking to help their kids with school matters. 

If you’re in Arizona, or you’re moving there shortly, we highly recommend you to check out these Catholic schools in Tucson.

5 tips to help your children succeed in school

These 5 recommendations are not enough, but they’re the first big step to help your kids be their best at school. If you commit yourself, sooner than later, you’ll realize the impact your actions have! 

1. Communication is key.

In the end, we are all humans and, in a certain way, our primary needs are very much alike. Children need to be well-fed and well-rested to acquire the necessary energy that a school demands. 

A nutritious breakfast and lunch make the whole difference! This requires an extra effort: avoid ultra-processed foods (usually full of sugar and devoid of nutrients). Try snacks rich in whole grains, protein and fiber, and of course, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Establish a sleep routine for your children and encourage them to follow it. Let them know the minimum 8 hours of sleep they should have. You’d be surprised how many families can neglect nutritious food and good sleep for many reasons!

2. Communication is key.

Communication needs to happen not only between parents and teachers but also between parents and children. Talk about school with your children in a meaningful way. 

Let them tell what they did in their school day, listen carefully, pay attention to the details or what they express, and react accordingly. If this becomes a habit, it’ll become much easier for your children to approach you regarding any problem or situation in school. 

If your kids realize you are interested in their lives, they will feel themselves in a trustworthy and safe environment. This will be helpful, especially for their future!

3. Time-management matters.

While this is a recommendation mostly appropriate for older students, such as high schoolers, it is important to start teaching kids the restrictions time imposes and present them with organizational possibilities. 

Start with small tasks such as: you should first do a part of your homework before playing, you’ll just be for one hour browsing your social media. Consider age-appropriate time-management strategies. 

Regarding your teens, it is essential to talk about procrastination and stress management and let them know they can ask for help. Some years ago, a survey revealed that about 40% of parents with children in ninth through twelfth grade stated that their children experienced a lot of stress from school (1).  

4. Set goals and further study skills.

Goals should also be set age-accordingly, while you can help your kids develop their study skills little by little, alongside your allies: teachers. Make sure your children understand the importance of reinforcing their knowledge.

Learning is not always easy, but most of the time is rewarding! Celebrate with your kids when they achieve a goal and support them when they fail. Encourage their interests (such as their favorite subject at school). 

5. In a word (or two): get involved!

When you show enthusiasm and interest in the school activities, there are more chances your kids will find that school can be exciting. Make your best effort to attend the meetings for parents.

Check the school website or newsletter, and get involved! Do homework with your kids until they are fully independent to do it, but let them know you’re always available for their questions. 

Do not undermine the teachers’ authority in front of your children. When in disagreement, request a meeting with the teacher to solve the issue, remember, you’re a team!

In terms of beliefs, as Catholics, we’re always in search of faith-filled education. Parents’ participation in religious events, organized by the school, also strengthens the spiritual side of their children. 

Catholic schools hold a solid reputation as top-notch institutions, learn more about the reasons to support Catholic schools.

Education and its challenges

Aside from all that you can do to help your children, there is something you must always remember: not all children are the same, nor do they have the same skills. This is just a truth we have to accept. 

By no means, this is to say not all kids deserve access to quality education and life-changing opportunities. Unfortunately, not all children get the best education and this can endanger their future. 

This is why it is important to support charities and causes that advocate for better education, better opportunities for children, and the spread of good values that contribute to community wellness.

Many children miss opportunities to improve their lives because of their environment, or just because they don’t come from privileged or stable backgrounds. 

Arizona’s Catholic Tuition Support Organization (CTSO) has helped for many years now to make quality education accessible to many children who come from deprived families.

We support the idea of education as life-changing and, as Catholics, we feel committed to helping people in need.  We are proud to serve our community and help children build a better future for themselves.  

All of this is possible thanks to the great contribution of our donors. There is a way you can help! As a taxpayer in Arizona, you are also entitled to help through tax credits. Contact us to learn more! 

We wish you a very prosperous 2024!!! We look forward to keeping up the good work and putting into action our Lord’s word by helping our neighbors.

If you’re interested in how good-willed people succeed in reducing school dropout, don’t miss our text about how charitable organizations have helped school dropout decrease. 

References

1. Parent Teacher Association and National Education Association. Helping Your Teen Succeed In High School. PTA. Retrieved 18 January 2024.