Ways Parents Can Help Their Children
-Read to your child
-Play games with your child
-Let your child help you prepare dinner
-Help your child get a library card from the public library nearest you.
Encourage your child to go to the library as often as possible.
-Listen to your child
-Go to the library with your child. Help him/her pick out interesting books
to read
-Talk to your child about subjects that are interesting to him or her.
-Provide materials such as crayons, art paper, and paints for creative
projects
-Listen to your child read
-Help your child make a phone directory with the names and phone numbers of
his/her friends
-Encourage your child to start a collection of rocks, stamps, etc
-Find out about activities for children that take place at your library
-Provide counting experiences for your child
-Set aside a special "reading time." Let your child know that you look
forward to and enjoy your time together
-Write notes to your child
-Show your child how to count change
-Encourage your child to show his/her schoolwork to your relatives and friends
-Give your child his/her own place to keep books
-Help your child write letters and notes
-Encourage your child to keep a scrapbook about a subject that interests
him/her: stamps, dogs, birds, trucks, etc.
-Limit your child's television watching-select certain shows to watch. Turn
the tv on for the show and turn it off immediately after the show is over.
-Read and discuss your child's schoolwork
-Give your child a calendar so he/she can write down special events and mark
off each day
-Ask your child to add a sentence of two to letters you write to far-away
relatives (young children can dictate a sentence for you to write)
-Give your child specific duties to perform on a regular basis at home
-Subscribe to a children's magazine (in the child's name)
-Bring books for your child to read in the car while he/she waits for you to
run errands
-Look up words in the dictionary with your child
-When traveling, read road signs with your child. Discuss what they mean.
-Show your child how to use a yardstick, ruler, and tape measure for
measuring objects around the house
-Give your child a special place (box, dish pan, etc) to keep items he/she
must take to school every morning. (This ends a last-minute searching for
library books, papers, etc, all of which can cause your child to be late for
school)
-Show your child how to tell time
How Well Do I Know My Child?
Take some time to think about and answer the questions below to find out for
yourself how well you know your child. After answering the questions, take
some time to sit down with your child and see how well you did with the
answers. You may be surprised by some of your child's responses. This is an
opportunity to spend some quality time with your child and give them the
message that you are interested in what they are thinking and doing.
1. Who is your child's best friend?
2. Who is your child's hero?
3. Who is your child's favorite musical group?
4. What is your child's favorite school subject?
5. What is your child's least favorite school subject?
6. What is your child's favorite television show?
7. In physical education class, would your child rather play kickball, run
relays, or do exercises?
8. Of what accomplishment is your child proudest?
9. What is your child's favorite sport to watch?
10. What is the name of the last book your child read?
11. What does your child see as a "dream job"?
12. What person outside the family has influenced your child the most?
13. Where would your child like to travel on vacation this year?
14. If your child could have his/her room repainted, what color would they
choose?
15. Name one thing that makes your child angry.
16. What is your child's favorite video game or board game to play?
17. Which one of your neighbors would your child like to know better?
18. How much time does your child think you spend with him/her during one
week?
19. What has been the biggest disappointment in your child's life?
20. What is your child's least favorite household chore?
21. If you could buy your child anything, what would his/her first choice be?
22. When does your child prefer to do homework: right after school, after
dinner, before bed, in the morning?
23. Name a favorite movie your child would like to watch again.
24. Which teacher would your child like to visit during the summer?
25. Name your child's favorite ice cream flavor.
Many parents have told me that their children enjoyed this activity so much
that they reversed the roles and turned it into "How well do I know Mom and
Dad" Enjoy the activity!!!
Parent Survey
If you were to participate in a parenting series, which of the following
would be most valuable to you? Please email me ranking them in order of
priority.
___Networking with other parents
___Knowing that you are not alone (finding out that other parents may be
experiencing similar issues and concerns)
___Learning new skills and strategies for coping with child rearing issues
___Educational activities and games
___Learning whatÂ’s normal or can be expected of children at various ages and
stages
___Having a facilitator who is trained in parenting issues
___Role play
___Receiving hand outs which you can take home with you
___Gaining a deeper understanding of parenting issues and family dynamic
___Learning about community resources
