What’s the formula to help your child excel in school? Books + sports + travel + love + prayer = academic prowess. I wish it were that simple.
The commitment to fostering academic excellence is a full-time labor-of-love gig without vacations or weekends to recuperate. Responsibilities amplify in single-parent households.
Parenting and helping children become scholars involves a combination of resources. During the school day, they need learning experiences with culturally responsive teaching resources and inclusive policies. At home, young scholars need love, supplemental materials, and at least one adult to enforce the importance of education.
During summer months, the competition with YouTube Shorts, TikToks, and whatnots intensifies. It takes WORK to encourage young scholars to prioritize learning and to refrain from mindless entertaining distractions during downtime.
My wife and I are not perfect parents. We make mistakes like every parent in the history of humankind. However, we are doing something that’s working.
Each of my children made the honor roll this year. My oldest scholar completed 9th grade, the middle one graduated from 8th grade, and the youngest finished 7th grade. They have several more years of formal schooling remaining, but they have a solid foundation.
Not only have my little ones excelled in school, but they have also performed well on their sports teams. I won’t drop their swimming, track, cross- country, or soccer statistics here.
Much of what my wife and I have instilled in our children reflects decisions guided by our values and lifestyle.
The children leave for school between 7:45 AM and 8:00 AM. Unless they are feeling severely ill, attendance is not an option. If the school is open, their minds must be open to going and learning something.
Schools have their tests, and I have mine.
When we are en route to their evening sports practices, I ask my children two questions. “What did you learn today? What can you teach me?”
“Nothing, Dad. We didn’t learn much. I mean we had class, but I don’t have anything to teach you.” I usually get one of these responses from my children.
My questions often annoy my sons and daughter. Sometimes I need to tell them to put their phones down and listen to me, but nonetheless, I am consistent.
Every night my wife and I ask the children about their homework. When they get stuck on a difficult assignment, my wife leads at-home tutoring sessions.
Somewhere between our weekly schedules and years of living in multiple countries exists a formula for academic success. Perhaps it’s in one of the books my wife and I encouraged our children to read during a school break. It could also be in the global perspectives gained from time spent learning in schools in Mexico and Antigua and Barbuda.
Summer has just begun, but now is the time to strategize for the coming school year. Although your child will resist, make them read 10 pages today and get them outside for at least thirty minutes this weekend.
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This post was previously published on Vernon C. Lindsay, PhD.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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