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Does Your Child Have the Skills to be Successful in School?

As we start into a new school year, consider whether or not your child(ren) has the best skills to be successful in school environments.

Children at school
Children at school

School life can be highly stressful nowadays for a variety of reasons. Bullying has increased. Testing is imminent. Expectations are often high or non-existent, depending on the child or the school situation. How can you arm your child(ren) to be successful in the ever-increasing social and educational stresses of school life?

  1. Know your child and their needs.
    1. Does your child need extra support academically, behaviorally, or emotionally?
    2. Resources such as 504s for behavioral support – anything from anxiety to disruptive outbursts – can be arranged.
    3. Does your child need to be assessed to determine deficits that can be supported medically, emotionally, academically, or in some other way?
    4. Be brave enough to stand up for what is best for your child.
  2. Provide your child with the necessary skills.
    1. Due to our current technology-focused culture, many children and even adults are missing invaluable skills needed to be successful.
    2. Communication, social cue recognition, the ability to interact socially and engage emotionally, and the ability to carry on a conversation with peers and teachers are all skills highly lacking in many of our youth today.
    3. Many games of all types teach important social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, strategies, point of view, problem-solving, listening, following instructions, and being a good loser or winner. Play games with your kids and help them practice these types of skills in a safe environment.
  3. Be the safe space your child needs to share challenges, disappointments, and successes.
    1. Life can be hard, even for kids. We all need a safe person to share with sometimes.
    2. Listen. Don’t judge or criticize. Offer counsel when asked or if needed.
    3. Have their back! Even if that means letting them experience the earned consequences of poor choices. This is how we learn to make better choices.
    4. Be sure to let your child(ren) know you believe in them.
    5. Share in the joy of their accomplishments. Celebrate their successes!

Model for your child how to meet challenges, overcome disappointments, and celebrate successes in healthy ways.