Tips To Help Your Child Succeed In School

As a parent, you may feel anxious about your child being back in school now that summer is over, especially if they have graduated to a higher level of learning, like kindergarten or first grade. You want to make sure they are making new friends and are comfortable talking to their teachers when they need help as this will give them a better chance of adapting and succeeding. Regarding specific skills and knowledge, you may be surprised by how much is expected of your child. This guide will help you talk to your kids about what they need to do to feel confident and succeed in their new school year.

Following Instructions

As the school year rolls on, your child should continue to understand how important it is to listen to and follow 2- and 3-part instructions. You can help them practice throughout the year by giving your child easy household tasks every day. This can include putting their toys away and setting the table for breakfast or dinner. Use two-part instructions such as, "Please pick up your toys and put them on the shelf," and three-part instructions like, "Say hello, hang your coat, and sit down."

Talking about Their Needs

Your child should be able to clearly state what their needs are, particularly to teachers. You can help them hone this important skill by encouraging them to tell you what they need in 5 or 6 word sentences. Some good examples are: "I would like a sandwich, please." "I need help with this toy." Also encourage them to explain how they feel: "I am thirsty." "I have a tummy ache." "I want to watch a movie."

Dressing and Eating

Your child should be comfortable dressing themselves every day. This includes knowing how to manage buttons, zippers, ties, and so on. Now is a good time to also start teaching your child how to tie their shoes (they will get better at this within a couple of years). They also need to be self-sufficient when it comes to lunch time. Be sure that they are confident with opening juice and milk containers and unwrapping their food so they won't miss out on eating lunch at school.

Sharing Toys and Taking Turns

Continuously working with your child on the importance of getting along with others and treat them with respect is extremely important. At school, your child is expected to interact with his or her classmates often. They may be put into teams to complete a task or project (in class or for homework) or put into a group during a game or sporting activity. Playing board games with them will help your child learn how to take turns. If you have more than one kid, have them do tasks or work on a project together.

Matching and Sorting Things

Your child needs to practice sorting items by shape, color, and function to ensure they continue to develop these skills (e.g. whether the item is food, clothing, or something you cook with). Help your kids enhance their ability to match items using simple attributes with books, songs, and guessing games that involve learning about opposites. To help them increase their sorting skills, grab two or more different types of objects. Start with the fewest categories (two types) and gradually increase to three categories, four categories, and so on. Demonstrate each category slowly, then ask your child to sort the objects.