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Kindergarten Parents Are You Involved In Your Child's Home Learning? If You Are Not, You Should

Kindergarten Parents Are You Involved In Your Child's Home Learning? If You Are Not, You Should... kids and teens

The Parent Academy created by Miami Dade County Schools, has this fact on their website, for more information please visit The Parent Academy

Parental Involvement
Students achieve more when parents are involved in their child's education process regardless of their socioeconomic status, ethnic or racial background, or the parent's educational level. The National Center for School Engagement points out that parent involvement is a major factor in helping students succeed in school and is a foundation for achievement in life. Children whose parents are involved in their education often earn higher grades and receive higher test scores, have fewer absences, demonstrate positive behaviors and attitudes about school and are more likely to graduate and enroll in post-secondary education.

Parents need to understand, especially mothers that your Kindergartners need you as much as they need their teachers, WHY? BECAUSE YOU ALSO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THEIR LEARNING PROCESS, not only for this first school year, but also for rest of their lives. I know that times are tough, and everyone's #1 worry is making sure the roof is over their heads and that there is food on the table and everything else including themselves, their relationships/marriage, their kids and living a real happy life come second. We live in a world that is changing and challenging each and every one of us every single day faster than we can blink and at times, we feel like we are drowning in nothing but worry and stress and the last things on your mind is having the patience to sit down to really help them with their homework, spelling and practicing with them by making it fun and exciting for the both of you. The individual attention that you give them, teaching them and being a role model (weather you were good in school or not) is super important not only scholastically but also emotionally for your child, because the involvement, attention and commitment you give to them now, will make them a happier and more successful child in and out of school.

I myself am a first time Kindergarten Parent, and was nervous for the school year to start, because it was around the time that I was getting me back up from financial and marriage struggles, trying to balance work, a house, a family, a new home business and soon a new Kindergartner and I knew with that came more responsibility's that if I did not set my mind to make it happen to help her every step of the way, she would fail at school or not like it as much as she loves it.

At the beginning of the school year I was trying to come up with ways to make it more fun and exciting, so she can be more happy and motivated to want to do homework and learn it at the same time, especially when spelling words started to play a major role in her learning process to read and write. Also since I was learning mastering communication and learning the needs of others and how to help them develop, I decided to use those same techniques when it came around to having school and learning structure with no sidetracks of any kind, yes there are days in which her silliness and circumstances gets me to be a little tougher but it is for her own good, the difference is that I don't use negative ways or raise my voice to get her back into her learning, instead I use leverage and music which are 2 of her favorite things.

Your child's mood is everything, especially when it comes to learning time, this is why I always make sure before anything that she goes to bed in a good mood, by reading her favorite story, having her tell me a story, ask a question based on her day, thank god for another amazing day, or one of her most favorite things is talking to Froggy (her Frog Puppet Created and Brought to Life by Her Daddy) she totally crack's up with him and I love it. In the morning's I wake her up by kissing her and talking to her with love that is time to wake up, I tell her things like "wake up buttercup" " its learning time" and so on, as she wakes up I start to either sing, or do a happy dance because she has woken up, at times she hides under the covers and we make it a fun game of pillow fighting and after that, I sit her down in the living room to put on her favorite morning educational cartoons from PBS Kids Channel 2 - she has been watching the channel and has also helped her tremendously since she was 1 years old. I serve her a real good balanced breakfast and off to school we go.

In school, I make sure that I communicate with her teacher and I make sure that she gets started on her morning assignments before the late bell rings, and before I leave I make sure to give her a big kiss, hug, blessings and I tell her to have an amazing and fun learning day and that she will do fantastic, that right there leaves a huge smile on her face and puts her into such a happy mood that will help focus on learning and getting her assignments done. What also gets her really happy is to see my involvement with her, her teacher and her classroom, when she sees me there on Monday's helping her teacher until she comes back from Spanish Class is priceless and I would not change it for the world. If you are not a parent volunteer, I totally encourage you to do it, you don't have to volunteer all the time, but if you can at least give 15-30 minutes of your time to help out and be with them as well, it would make them feel so special and it is something that they will remember and cherish for the rest of their lives, plus you will be contributing to helping the teacher and they so deserve our help no matter how small of time or big of time you have available, it makes a big difference. You won't be only volunteering for inside the school, you will also have the opportunity to be with them on their field trips and helping the teachers with the other kids if you decided to go. To become a Parent Volunteer for your child's school simply create yourself a parent portal @ Parent Volunteer and on there you will find all you need to know as well about the schools and their programs.

For Homework time, I start by giving her the 15 minute countdown to Leaning Fun Time, I make up a song or pop in some music and start dancing with her while setting up the table for study time. Once we are there, she is in a good mood, with an open mind and open ears, we need to remember they are still kids so at times they won't stop moving or talking so you need to learn to switch their attention back and not by yelling, getting mad or putting them in time out because you would be interrupting their learning process and it will be hard to get them and yourself back into the right mind set to continue and that would be the end of it. Instead focus on silly ways to get them back in, weather its being silly and letting them know that they are not acting correctly or just out of nowhere say "break time with a dance" and we will dance to her favorite song like maniacs and when the song is done, she is back at happy mode and ready to continue, even after she finishes her homework we celebrate by dancing and singing and is so contagious even daddy and nino (our dog) joins in on the fun, plus if you don't work out, that is your cardio for the night - called it a 5 minute workout... LOL and before you know it, not only will they sleep better but they will be able to remember not only what they learned from the teacher but what they learned from your help by being there and I am positive that the next school day will be so much better and happier for the both of you.

If you are a parent that has a child in aftercare, your involvement needs to be there to, I understand that some of the after cares have people who help the children with their homework and so on, but it's nothing compared to your committed involvement to help them as well. The good side of it, is that the homework is done, so that should make you even happier and less stressful because this means that you can have more time to help them learn to read and write based on their homework for that week. By giving them those additional 30 minutes a day of consistency in helping them develop their reading and writing skills, will come along way for your Kindergartner and you will be such a proud parent/mother of yourself and your kid/s.

One of the best ways that pretty much works with anything in life, is adding Leverage for doing something good and the better you do the bigger the leverage you can get. With children you can do the same, and no this is not a bribe that you do to your kid, this is teaching them that there are good and bad consequences for behaving and doing good and bad in school as well as at home. It will teach them responsibility for their actions taken and that if they want a toy really bad, that in order for them to have it they need to do well in school and out of school. Plus, I am sure your children/s teachers has the same leverage idea like Yodania's teacher has, in were if they get 5 Happy Stickers that week, on Friday they get to choose a toy of their choice to keep from the treasure box, plus the leverage we give her at home, for doing good she gets to choose where she wants to go on Sundays or we take her to buy her something small and at the end of the month she gets to buy a toy of her choice at Toy's R-Us and let me tell you that it works like a charm.

The final step is just being consistent and coming out with creative ways to make it fun for the both of you and before you know it, it will seem natural and your kid and you will have an even closer bond loving learning time and one of the best parts its mommy or daddy time with them and there is nothing more our kids wants more then our full attention in every aspect of their lives, especially with their learning process.

I thank you so much for your time and I really hope that I opened your eyes a little more as you why your Kindergartner needs you more then even is this new year of brand new discoveries not only for them but for yourself!

Have an Incredible, Safe, Healthy and Blessed Day and God Bless You and Your Love Ones Always!!

- Katherinn Palacio-

I am a Mom, Wife and Home Business Coach - Here to help you every step of the way and I look forward to new and lasting friendships with amazing people like you.
 kids and teens

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