Five Ways to Help Your Child Succeed

Students in the  start class on Monday.

So how can a parent help his or her child succeed?

Are any of these new concepts? Not really, but they are the keys to ensuring your kid has the best chance at a successful future. 

1. Have your child in school every day.

Poor attendance is a major contributor to future truancy, troubled behavior and dropping out.

Unfortunately many students find a reason not to go to school and their parents allow it. I tell my students that we should all be there unless we have something communicable.

A stomach ache is not a reason to stay home. When kids miss school, they truly do miss out. 

2. If your child does have a reason to miss school, do your child's teacher for their homework?

If you know ahead of time your child will be out of school, let their teacher know. Try to make appointments outside of school hours. If your child is sick, have someone come after school to get missed work so they don’t feel so behind or out of touch upon return.

3. Stay involved this year.

Being an effective parent is more than making sure your child is at school on time. Go to Open House, parent conferences and ask if their homework is done.

That’s a START.

Successful students have parents who are involved – volunteer once a month, ask to see the homework, go over it and work with the child to correct it if necessary. Everyone can help in some way. What have you done to be involved in your child’s education?

You can also go to or volunteer in a number of ways.

4. Send your child to school with a proper lunch. It's tough to learn on an empty stomach. Click here to learn how to apply for free or reduced price lunch for your child.

5. Teach self-control

This may seem an odd addition, but it's incredibly important.

The results of an extensive study released earlier this year that followed 1000 people from birth to 32 years of age found that self-control can have an enormous impact on your child's life, even more so than socio-economic status or intelligence.

An abstract accompanying the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America said self-control "predicts physical health, substance dependence, personal finances and criminal offending outcomes."

Click here to read or hear a report on the subject by NPR or read this website for tips from teachersandfamilies.com.