Brilliant Kids: How to Help Your Child Succeed

• Talk to your baby as much as you can in any language you wish. A baby will learn more from interacting with you than from any toy or gadget.
• Take your baby for walks and point out things you see along the way.
• Respond when they coo—this is their way of talking to you.
• Read to your baby every day. Choose books that are age-appropriate, full of colourful illustrations and able to withstand inquisitive baby wear and tear.
• Give your baby pots and pans to bang on while you make dinner instead of turning on the television. Give them lots of feedback while they play.
• Let loose and sing and dance with your baby.
• Do not allow a child under two to watch television. Studies have shown that television is too much for developing brains to handle.
  

• Allow preschoolers to watch educational television only. Studies show that high quality educational programming improves a preschooler’s social and cognitive development. However, be sure to limit the amount of time spent watching television to 30 minutes per day.
• Allow them to play educational online games only. Sit alongside and play with them. Studies show that educational online games for preschoolers improve literacy and spelling.
• Read a book or two together every night before bedtime. Here are some hints on reading with your kids.
• Sing songs that rhyme. Kids at this age love rhymes and rhyming hones early spelling skills.
  
• Go for walks together. Studies show that a child’s motivation for learning is greater when they are outside and kids exposed to nature and learning outside do better on standardized testing. It helps improve math, science and literacy skills too.
• Follow our 10-Minute Literacy Building Activities. For more, check out these tips.
• Put your child in an early childhood education program. Studies show that good quality early childhood education programs have positive effects on cognitive development and overall school achievement.
  

• Volunteer at your child’s school. Kids who have parents who are involved in their school life and take an interest in their education do better overall.
• Get to know your child’s teacher. Talking to the teacher is a great way to keep informed about your child’s progress and tackle problems early.
• Keep track of what they are learning at different times in the year. Ask the teacher if there are any activities you could be doing at home to reinforce the curriculum.
• Do not procrastinate or think they will "grow out of it" when your child is struggling. Ask your child’s teacher and the school’s principal about the best avenue to take to tackle the situation immediately.
• Be positive about your child’s achievements. Studies show that kids who receive negative feedback when they do not get top grades will disengage from challenging learning opportunities. So emphasize the positive and work with your child to help them achieve their goals.
• Do not underestimate the power of friendships. Research shows that kids who drop out of school do it not because of poor grades but because they feel they do not belong. Get to know your child’s friends and help to nurture those friendships by arranging play dates and sleepovers.
• Let your children play. David Elkind, author of The Power of Play, says “children learn best through self-created learning experiences.” Play improves social, cognitive and emotional development. Play does not include the use of video games, television or electronic gadgets.
• Read to your child every night. If they no longer want you to do the reading, have them read to you. If they are too old for that, make sure they are reading independently every night for 30 minutes.
• Let your child see you reading. Parents who read generally have kids who read.
• Give your child the gift of your time. You are your child’s greatest motivator. Make sure they know you are there to listen and to help when you can. If you feel like you do not have the tools to help, reach out in your community. You can find out about organizations who can help at your child’s school or at the local library.
• Not every child can be Einstein. Make sure you are not pushing your child too hard. Too much pressure can cause kids to rebel and not reach their full potential.
  

Remember that every child can succeed in school and beyond if they have the help and support of their parents. You will never regret taking the time.

Recommended Reading

The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children. By David Elkind, Ph.D. Da Capo Press: 2007.

email this print this add comment

Add Your Comment

*You must have a FREE TVO account in order to comment on posts