Monfredo: Ideas for Parents to Consider as we Move Forward

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Sunday, October 18, 2015

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

Last week’s column dealt with how schools can involve parents in the learning process. I thank our readers for the positive feedback. Thus, this week I’d like to make some suggestions to our parents about ideas that they can use at home.Many are common sense approaches to parenting and many involve being your child’s first teacher.

Let’s start with the obvious … Get to know your children’s teacher(s).  Take the time to discuss your children’s progress and how you can help. If the school doesn’t schedule a meeting call the school and schedule one yourself! If your child dislikes a certain subject in school, find out why.  Check with their teachers for ideas to overcome this problem

Homework is always a huge topic at home and in raising two children I agree it’s a subject that needs consistency on the part of the parent. I would suggest that you set aside specific time at home for homework, and ENFORCE that time.Monitor your children’s homework for completion and quality. When helping with homework, don’t just give your children an answer when they are struggling. Take the time to explain how you arrived at the answer and give an example. Also, it is important that you provide a quiet and if possible a separate environment for your children to do homework. It could be at the kitchen table or in the child’s bedroom but keep distractions from interfering with his/her homework such as noise from the television set.

Part of a good learning environment at home is encouraging conversation. When your children ask questions, try to answer them; if you can’t, seek an answer with your children to encourage learning as a way of life.  Also, talk to your children about how their day at school went and what they enjoyed most at school.

Here it comes… ENCOURAGE  reading at home!  As one who constantly advocates for more reading in the home be sure that at least 20 -30 minutes of reading takes place.  Remember those who read succeed!  Leave books or good magazines around to entice reluctant readers.  Talk about reading material, and make sure your child has a library card.  Set a good example by reading in your own spare time.  Use dinner conversation to discuss current events and articles that you have read.   Above all, make the time to visit the library with your children.  Also, if possible, subscribe to a magazine for your children. Kids love to have something of their own, and it establishes the point that reading is enjoyable.

Going along with reading, encourage writing at all times. Have your children write letters and thank you notes.  Have them write to the Sunday Telegram and Gazette Happy Time Page for each week there are topics to write about and even drawings that the children can do to participate.   You can have them write to me and I’ll be sure to write back… my address is 8 Cherokee Road in Worcester at 01606. I love to hear from children about topics of their interest. Parents can also write to me if they have suggestions on improving our schools.

Going hand in hand with homework and reading is setting up guidelines about television viewing, and making sure they’re observed. How about no television during the week or if that’s too drastic consider having one hour of television and computer time during week days.  Going along with that is for parents to enforce a consistent, honest and fair system of discipline at home and provide consistent and high expectations for good behavior at school.

Looking for that well rounded child… encourage your children to develop interests in art, music and sports. Go with their interest and encourage them to participate. 

Be careful about your use of criticism, and realize that a little goes a long way. Be sure to balance it with praise, and let your children know you are proud of their accomplishments, rather than disappointed in their failures.

These are just a few ideas for you, the parent, to consider. Let me know what’s working or not working for you.  As always, I’d love to hear from you!

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