The most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents. Our experiences in childhood make us the adults we become. It’s a chance for you to give your children an enriching experience. There is 30 years of research showing that parents’ involvement in their children’s education has a significant impact on children’s academic and developmental goals. Researchers divide parent involvement into two basic categories: Home-based activities and attitudes, like having high expectations, talking together about school, building work habits and a positive approach to learning, or reading together; second school-based activities, like communicating with teachers, attending meetings about your child, volunteering in the classroom or school council work.
First and foremost, parents should cultivate the habit of reading in their children from young. Reading helps children develop their imagination and creativity. Nothing else can help your child develop his personality holistically as much as reading. Children tend to imitate and pick up habits of their elders at home. If they see their parents as enthusiastic readers, it’s more likely they will inculcate this habit too.
Encourage your child to be involved in some sort of community service. It makes children more humane. It makes them aware of the ground realities.
Encourage them to work part time. During summer break/winter break they will learn a great deal if they join an internship. They should look out for internships in fields in which they’re interested. This will provide them with a lot of exposure. It will help them in having a professional experience.
Take out time for your children to watch intriguing movies from an early childhood. Movies like Interstellar, Imitation games, Schindler’s list, Forrest Gump, life of Pi, Dead Poet’s Society etc. Take out time every weekend and spend it as a family doing interesting activities. Children shouldn’t take parents for granted. Make a reward system so that they realize the value of gifts that you buy for them.
Character is as important as intellect. Children should learn to be humble. This is the most important trait parents need to focus on. This starts right at home, with their help/servants who diligently work for them.
Children should become responsible. Taking responsibility and working independently are important qualities for school success. Establish rules. Every home needs reasonable rules that children know and can depend on. Have your child help you to set rules, and then make sure that you enforce the rules consistently. Make it clear to your child that he has to take responsibility for what he does, both at home and at school.
learning begins in the home students are like sponges. Children pick up on and emulate the attitudes that are presented daily in the home, so making sure to emphasize the value of education as a family is extremely important.
(The writer is Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder of Collegify)