Parenting: How to Educate Your Child the Best You Can
The education of your child is something that you should be involved in as much as you can. We understand that you have likely got a lot going on with the general taking care of your child, with the fact that you likely have a job to go to, a house to keep clean and so much more. But, this is not an excuse not to be involved in your child’s education as much as possible. We’re not saying that you should input yourself into it so far that you are taking over completely, but just enough so that you are providing the help and support that they need.
It can be tough to do this, so it might take some time for you to figure out the best way for you and your child to move forward with their education, but it can be done. If you work together, you’ll find that it can actually be amazingly rewarding for you.
In this article, we’re highlighting seven ways you can get involved with the education of your child as best you can, both in their academic education and their general life.
How to Educate Your Child – 7 Wonderful Ways to Help
How to Educate Your Child #1
Travelling Is A Fantastic Experience
The first thing that we’re going to look at is travelling. The reason we featured this element of life on the list is not just because it’s always nice to go on holiday with your child. But because travelling with your child has the opportunity to be highly educational; learning about different cultures, visiting historical sites, tasting different cuisines, meeting new people, the list goes on.
Travelling with your child can be a fantastic combination of fun and education, and they are far more likely to take in information in places such as a history museum in another country, because it’s ‘super cool’.
Our Top Tip: Make sure that when you do go on holiday and/or take day trips, that you visit places with historical significance. Read up on its history and find out fun facts before you visit and talk about it with your child en route – to create wonder and excitement.
You can then quiz them when they get there … asking questions like ‘What do you think this was used for?’ or ‘Can you find X?’ Of course, your child being age appropriate for the information you give them and destination you visit is really important; it has to be an equal ratio of fun and education.
Further Reading: Travel 101: How to Combine Travel with Education
How to Educate Your Child #2
Teach Them The Basics
Before we get into the academic side of things for your child, we just want to highlight that you should be teaching them the basics of life. It’s your job as a parent to make sure that they have education in this area, and it’s a job that you need to take seriously.
So, what do we mean by ‘the basics of life’? We mean you need to be teaching your child the basics on how to look after themselves. From washing their hands properly to showering themselves, dressing themselves to making their own school lunches.
Ideally your child, by the time they’re in second level education, should be able to:
- Use the washing machine so that they can confidently wash clothes.
- Know how to cook so that they’re able to create balanced, nutritious but also tasty meals.
- Know how to clean properly.
- Have the basic know-how of budgeting.
Your child should know how to do all the basics of life by the time they leave home, and if for any reason they don’t, well, that’s down to you! Your job as a parent is to raise them to be able to look after themselves, not to have to rely on you, or anyone else, to do the most basic things for the rest of their life.
How to Educate Your Child #3
Help Them With Homework
Okay, now onto the academic side of things! One of the things that you should do (always for school juniors and when needed for school seniors), is help them with their homework. We know that it can be hard to fit this in when you have so much to do, but there is always time. For example, you could have them sitting at the kitchen table while you are making dinner so that you are around if they want to ask you any questions.
And after your child has completed their homework, always find the time to check over it – to make sure that they’re on the right track. If you don’t know what their homework is about, then the good news is that you’re an adult now, and there’s no reason why you can’t use Google to look it up, just make sure they don’t see you do this, unless it’s something you can both ‘research’.
As your child gets older, they won’t want or need your assistance as often, and when this happens remember to remind them that you’re there to help, but otherwise; just leave them be. Let them get on with it. If they know what they’re doing then there is no reason for you to get involved – unless they need to be tested or have you look over something. Because the last thing that you want is to go too far and end up doing their homework for them when they are more than capable of doing it themselves.
Further Reading: Top 10 Ways to Help Your Child with Homework
How to Educate Your Child #4
Coordinate With Teachers
If necessary, you should be coordinating with teachers to work out the best ways that you can support your child in their education. It doesn’t matter how old they are, or how clever they are, there are still going to be times where they need support with their education, and you alongside their teachers need to be able to provide that for them. You can either try to do this at parent/teacher meetings, or you can email them or phone them if you need more advice.
It’s important to keep track of where your child is struggling, where they are excelling, and keeping an eye on a general overview of the education of your child. Taking this initiative is for the sake of your child’s future, so it’s worth every second you spend on it.
How to Educate Your Child #5
Help Them Set Out A Plan
When your child is a little bit older, and they are looking at choosing their options for their subjects at school, or when they are looking at their next step, you need to help them make a plan.
You can sit down with your child and think about what they should be doing, and how they can best make this choice. It’s very important to note that we’re not saying you need to choose for them, and we’re not saying that you need to push them in any given direction because you don’t. You need to help them, support them, and encourage them based on what they have decided to do, not try to change their mind if you do not agree.
If they’re applying to university, you can help them research universities that offer the program that they want, research entry requirements, student accommodation and so much more that they need to know before they make a choice. Again, this is guidance from you, not decision making. From there, you can set out a plan of how you can help them achieve the goals that they are setting for themselves.
Further Reading: Parenting – How to Make More Time for Your Children
How to Educate Your Child #6
Assist Them Where They Struggle
Your child needs to know that they can always come to you, no matter what.
There are too many children out there at the moment who do not feel as though they can talk to their parents about areas in which they are struggling in, meaning that they are not getting the help that they know they need. This is a huge problem, and one that needs fixing sooner rather than later.
Encourage your child to come to you, and always make time for them when they do. As parent’s we’ve all been guilty of uttering the words ‘later’, or ‘give me two minutes’ only to realise after the fact that the later never came and now they’ve gone to school, or sports or bed. But over time this can become a problem – it will drive your child away, and make them feel as though they can’t count on you.
Again: Encourage your child to come to you, and always make time for them when they do.
How to Educate Your Child #7
Ask What They Need From You
The quickest way to find out what your child needs from you is to ask them. This goes in all areas of life, and definitely still counts when it comes to education and life skills.
- If you want to know if you can do more, ask them.
- If you want to know where they are struggling, ask them.
They are the ones with the answers, so they are the ones that need to provide them for you. If you find it difficult to get answers out of your child, that’s normal, you just need to persevere. Eventually they will open up, and you can get started helping them with their education to the very best of your ability.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you should be doing to get involved with the education of your child as best you can.
A lot of parents seem to think that it’s only the job of school teachers to educate children, but this is not the case at all. The more assistance that you can provide your child, the better chance they have at seeing success. It’s a balancing act at the end of the day, because you don’t want to be too involved to the point where you are annoying your child, but you also don’t want to not be involved, causing them to think that you don’t care.
PIN: How to Educate Your Child – 7 Wonderful Ways to Help
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