Tag Archives: raising kids

Children Need Help with Social Studies

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down, Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Children Need Help with Social Studies

     Social Studies in school includes so very much that it is virtually impossible for a student to obtain all that is needed to become a good citizen through studies taught there alone.  Parents must step up and help children form attitudes, gain knowledge, and put into practice those things that make up a person who fits well into our society. At best, teachers can only skim the surface of important knowledge that children need.

         Social studies include the study of history, government, citizenship, geography, economics, and political science.  Schools generally have separate courses to cover each topic, but actually all of the topics necessarily overlap.  

         Parents can help teach good citizenship by first setting an example of being a good citizen.  They need to obey laws and point out to children what the laws are.  Many young people do not know until too late that certain things are against the law.  In addition, they often wonder why the laws are, in their sight, so unnecessary.  Reasons for laws should be pointed out to children at a very young age.

         I am amazed at how many of my GED students did not know the branches of government or the responsibilities of each branch. The system of checks and balances is so very important, yet many young people think that our president makes all of the decisions.  A 30 minute session with a child can teach these important facts that help enable a child to understand the workings of our government.  

         When families go on vacation, children can trace the trip on maps.  When they write letters to relatives or friends, they can locate where the letter is going on a map.  When news items are discussed about foreign lands, a globe or world map should be available in the home for the children to locate those countries.  These things all help a child with geography.

         A thrifty family automatically teaches economics.  When a child is taught to wait to purchase an item when it is not a fad, that child is learning the principle of supply and demand.  When an older child is given a clothing allowance and made responsible for budgeting and purchasing his/her own clothing, that child is learning economics. 

         Many children have a negative attitude toward politics and it is suspect that they have picked up this attitude at home.  Adults need to be very careful about their comments concerning elected officials when children are present.  It is really impossible to teach a child to respect authority, government, and love for our country when all they hear is negative comments about it.  Parents need to tell stories from history of sacrifice of many who have worked and fought for our country, so their sons and daughters will develop an appreciation for where we live. There are many in our society now who would do away with our constitution.  Children need to be taught at home about how our constitution came about and how successfully it has worked in the past.

         Children should watch some news and documentaries on TV, but parents need to be very selective in what they have their children watch.  Older children need to watch or listen to news at least one time each day and discuss with adults what they hear.  Most would agree that there is much on the news that younger children should not be allowed to view.  That said, it is, in a way, fortunate that the news is repeated so many times each day.  This allows parents to watch it first and then select the portions they think would be good for the children to see.

         Leaving the teaching of social studies entirely to the schools is a bad idea.  Just as journalists pick and choose what they report according to their opinions, so teachers cannot help but emphasize what they believe and deemphasize what they do not believe.  Parents need to take charge of the learning of their young children and teach children to think for themselves.  

Learning Science can be Fun!

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble; www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Learning Science can be Fun

         Parents are often hesitant to help children with homework for fear they will look dumb to their children or teach them something that is inconsistent with what the school is teaching. There is much that families can do to provide learning foundations for children at home as well as  helping with assigned projects.  Helping children use the scientific method for problem solving helps develop logical thinking that carries over to produce success at school in science classes.

         One of the best things parents can do is help children develop a curiosity for learning.  Taking children for walks and observing plants, rocks, animal tracks, and animals is interesting for both the children and the parents.  It is quality time spent to nurture curiosity for learning.  There are simple projects that are fun for children.  An acorn man can be made by using toothpicks and running them through the acorns making a body, legs, arms, and head.  It is fun to use an acorn that still has a “hat” on for the head.  A pen can be used to make facial features.  Laying paper over leaves and scribbling on it brings out the features of the leaves.  If a magnifying glass is available, children learn even more about the construction of things in nature and develop an eye for details.  It seems that many children love to collect rocks.  Using the Internet to look up information about different rocks is certainly a great learning project.

         As children ask questions, parents can ask questions in return.  As parents ask questions, children are forming a hypothesis about the subject.  Whenever possible, follow-up experiments can be conducted to see if the reason is true.  This is the scientific method of thinking.  In this simple way, children are learning a foundation for experimentation in science classes in high school and college.  It is good at this point to tell children the difference between a theory and a fact.  Until something is proven, it is simply a theory.  It is so very important that children understand this difference.  If children tend to believe theories, they can simply be asked, “Has that actually been proven?”  A child who has been taught that facts must be obtained to back up theories does not readily accept any idea that comes along.

         Science project assignments for children at home provide an opportunity for quality time spent with children.  However, some children are simply not able to do some of the things often required in home projects.  Teachers need to use care in making assignments.  When children are asked to do artistic type projects, it is a real temptation for parents to do it for the children if their child is not “picture smart”. Teachers would be wise to offer a choice of projects for children that include a variety of methods.  When the child chooses a preferred project, it is usually because he/she feels more capable of doing it.  The parents can then ask questions, provide information, and make suggestions, rather than doing the project.  

         It is so easy to help children with learning science.  It is fun to learn together and explore the wonderful world that God made.  Spending time with children in nature provides an excellent opportunity to point out the greatness of our heavenly Father. Those who don’t choose to do so, miss out on a wonderful and fun time with their children.

Helping Children with Math

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Helping Children with Math Homework

         A common phrase heard by parents is, “I was never any good in math either”.  My late husband, a retired math teacher, said that you never hear parents say, “I was never any good in reading either”.  A parent’s attitude is transferred to children easily.  Undoubtedly, this attitude expressed about math influences a child and often causes the child to think that it is alright to be less proficient in math than in reading and “lets them off the hook” when it comes to doing math homework.  One of the best ways to help children with math homework is to have the right attitude about math itself.  In addition, parents need to be involved with the homework and need to provide opportunities for math usage to help children see its importance.

         Math is similar in one way to building a house.  You can’t put the walls up until the foundation is laid.  Often children miss out somewhere along the way in math and that affects the understanding of current assignments.  In such cases, the child simply needs to go back and find where he/she got off track and “fill in the chinks” in that foundation.    

         There are two reasons for learning math.  The first reason is obvious.  It is used in many, many aspects of life.  Adults should never say, “You’ll never use this.” This causes the child to think they don’t have to learn it.  The other reason for learning math is that it is a mental exercise that develops the thinking processes.  When children learn to do math, especially word problems, they are learning to consider all facts and are required to sort out what is needed and set priorities to solve the problem. These same procedures are used in all decision-making in real life. In this respect, all math is useful. It is interesting that at one time math was referred to as the math discipline.  That title is fitting as math truly disciplines the brain.

         Parents often shy away from becoming involved in math homework for fear they will do it wrong.  It is true that some different methods are being used in some schools, but often if the child is asked to explain the methods, the problem will be solved by the child during the explanation.  A good thing to do is to ask the child to tell you what he/she knows about a problem.  This helps the student break down the problem in parts.  It is not a good idea to try to teach children different methods until a child has mastered one method as it will cause confusion.  It is profitable to take the time to study the textbook to see what method is being taught rather than try to teach a child to solve the way we were taught.  

         When children hear parents comparing prices and noting how much money can be saved, they are being helped with math.  When children are restricted from impulse buying and required to compare prices, they are being helped with math.  When coupons are clipped and children are allowed to keep a portion of the savings, they are learning math.  When parents require children to learn multiplication tables, they are doing a very important action to help their children in math. In safe communities, children can hold their own yard sales and sell toys or other items they have outgrown. The money earned is a great motivation!

         In a workshop I attended, we were told that an unusual number of students nationwide are finding it necessary to take remedial math when they go to college.  There is a real concern about the low math achievement in this country. We can help not only our children with their math, but in doing so, we are helping our country.  

Helping Children with Writing

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Helping Children with Writing

         The three r’s, reading, ‘riting’, and ‘rithmetic’, are still the most important subjects in school because everything else is based on these three things.  There are innumerable complaints that children are not learning these things as they should. Help from parents is definitely needed to make sure that children learn these basics.

         Parents can help their children learn to be good writers in a number of ways.  “Practice makes perfect” certainly applies to writing.  Practice helps with both the mechanical aspects of learning to make the letters and the mental organizing and creating of subject matter.

         Very young children who have toys requiring the use of motor skills in the hands are more apt to learn to print well using sticks and circles to make the letters of the alphabet.  Making dots for children in the shapes of the letters provides a guide to follow.  Cursive writing is not given a great deal of emphasis in today’s educational process since it is not used as much as in the past.  After all, most job applications say, “Please print,” and computers are available for composing letters and stories.  Although it is nice to know cursive writing, limited time in school demands that teachers emphasize subjects that are very practical. At one time, cursive writing was necessary for taking notes in college classes, but now students can record a lecture or download necessary information on their computers.

         When older children are required to write essays, a good way to tell them to organize the essay is the “five finger rule”.  One finger is for the introduction where three points are named.  The next finger is for a new paragraph to talk about the first item named.  The next finger represents the next paragraph to talk about the second thing and the next finger represents another paragraph to talk about the third thing.  The last finger is to summarize the essay by restating what was said in the first paragraph.  This five paragraph essay is taught to GED students to write an essay for passing the GED test. The format works in most cases and can also be used as an outline for making a speech. It is helpful to have a child draw around his/her hand on a piece of paper and label the five fingers for the five paragraphs. 

         Many students have trouble in knowing what to say when they write.  Questions help a child to expand thinking.  Taking the time to discuss a topic with a child helps give ideas.  A background of various experiences is always a big help in providing material for writing.  The Internet is a gold mine of information. 

         A friend of mine mentioned a good idea I would like to share.  She required her children to write at least a page telling why something they had done was wrong.  It was part of their learning to never do that thing again.  What a wonderful idea!  It not only gave the children practice in writing but instilled the understanding of right and wrong.  It made them think!

         Reading, writing, and speaking form what educators call the language triangle.  As a child improves in any one of the three, the other two are also enhanced.  Children need to do a lot of reading and a great deal of writing.  Unfortunately, many inventions are harmful as well as helpful. Since the copy machine was invented, children often just fill in blanks to answer a question. Good writing should be required at home and in all classes at school, not just the communications class.  If a child is allowed to get by with sloppy writing in math, science, social studies, and health classes, the one class in language is not likely to succeed in teaching good writing skills.  Consistency is important. Parents would be wise to see that their children are doing plenty of writing and doing it well.

Helping Children with Reading Homework

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child

Helping Children with Reading Homework

         Many parents shy away from helping their children with homework.  Often, this is because they are afraid they will not do it the way the teacher wants, or perhaps they feel inadequate.  There are six basic subject areas for which children may receive homework. They are reading, math, language, social studies, writing, and science.  In this column, I would like to make comments about helping children with reading.

         It is helpful to understand how reading is taught in schools today.  In the past there were arguments about whether sight reading or phonetic reading was best.  Actually, both are used.  There are certain words that children should simply memorize and learn by sight.  A good basis of phonics is absolutely necessary for a child to be able to decode words on his/her own.

         One of the best ways to help a child with sight words is to use flash cards.  Teachers can give parents a list of words that children should know by sight.  Children can make their own flash cards or flash cards may be purchased.  The advantage for a child to make the cards is that the child learns about spelling and writing at the same time as the words are learned. The advantage of purchasing the cards is that the print is similar to what the child sees on the pages in books.  Either or both are helpful.

         If a parent feels inadequate to teach phonics, that parent can ask the child to teach the parent. The child learns the sounds at school and usually knows them but simply needs review and practice for reinforcement.  Sometimes a parent may need to put a finger over part of a word to help the child break the word down.  Much of reading depends on the vision of a child…both the physical vision and the way the child sees the word in his/her mind.  By covering part of a word, the child can see parts of the word in the mind rather than just seeing a bunch of letters of the alphabet.

         The best thing any parent can do to help with a child’s reading is simply have that child read, read, read.  Older children can read stories to younger children or to the parents.  The children need to be familiar with the local library and have enjoyable books on hand to read at all times.  Reading at home should generally be easy reading. If a child does not know five words to a page, that book is too difficult for the child.  Reading easy books develops a feeling of self-satisfaction.  The child becomes more fluent and develops speed.  Usually, it is best to leave the difficult books for the school to handle.  Encouraging a child to read enjoyable and easy books develops a good foundation for reading in years to come.  If reading is always difficult, the child will shy away from it.

         Parents should see that books are available for children all the time.  Books should be in the car, so that when a child has to wait for a parent somewhere, the child can be reading.  Children can help make and read grocery lists.  They can read directions on packages to mom or dad when meals are being prepared.  Parents can find many opportunities to help children with reading and need not hesitate to do so.

In Their Shoes

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….)Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

In Their Shoes

 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

It is easy to become so concerned with our hustle and bustle as parents that we forget the feelings that children have as they prepare to return to school.  Yes, parents worry about clothes, supplies, schedules, etc.  But what about the children and what they are feeling and thinking??

It is good to remember when we were in school.  The worries of children are real!  Many are scared!  Just as God made no two snowflakes the same, He made no two children the same.  Some worry more than others, but there are some general concerns that most children have.  They are:

1) Will I have any friends?

2) What kind of teacher will I have?

3) Will the work be really hard?

4) Will Mom and Dad be pleased with what I do?

5) Will I have a lot of homework?

6) Will Mom and Dad yell at me if I have a bad report card?

7) Will I have a good place to sit in class?

8) What will I have for lunch?

9) What if I don’t know my multiplication tables?

10)  I’ve heard a lot of people talk about things that I don’t understand that are going on in some schools.  Am I supposed to believe everything the teacher says? 

Many children will not sleep well the night before the first day of school.  They will be tired but yet have to get up early.  Hopefully they will have a good breakfast ready, but some will say they are not hungry.  They may be too excited to eat!

When the children get on the bus or get to school, they will probably be hesitant to do anything those first few days.  (I found when I taught that they were better behaved the first week or two of school.  They are surveying the situation and hold back actions until they feel confident as to what to do.)

What about homeschooling?  Homeschooling eliminates many of these anxieties.  They already have the answers to many of the questions that worry children who go to public school.  Homeschoolers have an advantage in this area unless they have an instructor at home who is not prepared or does not understand them.  When I taught GED classes, occasionally I would get a student who had been homeschooled.  With the exception of one student, I can honestly say that it appeared they had been well educated.  I highly recommend home schooling unless there is no one who can do it adequately.  It takes time and much patience!!  There are many homeschool groups now that can make up for music, sports, art, etc.  

As the new school year begins, let’s try to put ourselves in the shoes of the children. it’s tough to parent, it is also tough to be a good kid!

Something’s Missing

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Raising children….

Something’s Missing!

The Backpack Ministry is a good thing, especially now with prices on so many things continually rising. Many children would be starting back to school without the tools they need for learning.  However, it seems that something may be missing!

It is common to hear adults talk about how today’s children seem so ungrateful for the things they get or have.  “Why I can remember in the old days that we were lucky to have shoes to wear when we went to school! We sure didn’t have all the fancy stuff kids these days have!”  True.  It was sad to see broken pencils on the floor of classrooms when I was teaching GED classes.  It was obvious that someone didn’t appreciate those pencils!  They had deliberately broken them in half and thrown them on the floor!

What’s missing?  The attitude of gratitude.  At a recent meeting I attended, the backpack ministry was mentioned.  “Do any of you know of anyone receiving a “thank you” note from a recipient of a backpack?” I asked.   Blank looks all around!  No one had.  Aren’t we missing an opportunity to teach children to be grateful when we don’t require them to write a thank you note?

Perhaps an addressed blank note could be included in the backpacks.  Parents and/or teachers could require the children to write a note of thanks to the giver.  This could go a long way in teaching gratitude and is also a good writing lesson for the children.  Children who have not yet learned to write could draw a picture and have someone else write the words “thank you”.  

It would seem we miss many opportunities to teach children to be grateful.  My husband and I started years ago giving our grandchildren $5 for each “A” they made on their report card and $4 for each “B”.  Nothing was given for “C’s” because that is expected of them and is nothing special.  At the end of the grading period, we saw a copy of their report cards and tallied up what they had earned.  We also gave money for high marks in conduct.  After all, good conduct is necessary for success in life.  The children gain pride in earning money and feel they have a job like their folks have.  It was understood that part of the money was for pleasure and part to save for future education.  We always received “thank you’s” from the children for the checks we sent.  Now that my husband has passed away, I continue the practice. I don’t shower them with constant gifts.  They can learn to budget their own money for the things they really want or feel they need.

Why are we surprised that so many children do not feel gratitude for what they receive when we don’t require them to do such a simple thing as to say, “thank you”?

Starting Kids to School on the Right Foot

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

  Start Children Back to School “on the Right Foot”

       Getting off to a bad start in anything is not a good thing, but it is especially important that children get a good start at the beginning of each school year.  The start of the year sets the pattern of behavior for the remainder of the school year and possibility for years to come.  Having a set pattern removes uncertainty and much confusion as children practice firm rules in the home.  As those rules become habits, parents are more at ease and there is less worry on the part of both the parents and the children.

         Before school starts in the fall, parents need to sit down with children and pray with them that they will do their best.  Undue pressure should not be put on any child to make straight “A’s”.  Rather, children should be encouraged to do the best they can do with the abilities God has given them.  II Timothy 2:15 is a good verse to use to impress children to do their best in school. If a child can understand that it is God who is to be pleased more than self, teachers, or parents, studying becomes more important. This gives purpose and the proper attitude toward learning. The prayer instills a sense of seriousness about the importance of behavior and effort.

         Children need routine.  They need the understanding that their behavior is acceptable, and they need to know that their parents are concerned with their well-being.

         Why not use the cell phone, that most older children have, to help them remember their routine? Our youngest son programs the cell phone of his sons to remind them of what they are to do and when they are to do it.  They can then text him when the chores are accomplished. 

A good routine for children each school night might include the following:

1) Homework is done at a certain time and place; then, it is laid out in a special spot so the child will not have to hunt for it the next morning.

2) Anything that is to be taken to school with the homework is placed along with the homework in a designated spot to prevent the scurrying around that often occurs in many homes as children frantically try to get ready to go to school.

3) Clothes to be worn the next day are laid out and ready to be put on.

4) Any chores in the home that the child is to do the next day are explained, so that the child is not surprised with added activities that may interrupt his/her plans.

     5) The alarm clock is set.

      When these things are taken care of, one of the parent’s checks in on the child at bedtime to be available to hear questions or comments from the child before hearing the prayers of the younger children.  Older children may want to say prayers in private.

When the listed items are done, the child can go to bed at ease knowing all is ready for the next day.  That child knows that the right thing has been done and will have a sense of accomplishment. Both the children and the parents will rest better knowing that all is organized. 

When children wake up in the morning and their clothes are ready for them, they don’t have the turmoil in their minds to start the day wondering what to wear.  They don’t have to worry about their homework because they know where it is.  After a good breakfast, one or both parents can give each child a big hug and kiss before he/she walks out the door along with a word of advice such as, “Learn all you can learn!” or “No matter what happens today, I will still love you tonight!”  With a final, “I love you!” the child is on the way to a good day at school.

Children Learn in Different Ways

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Children Learn in Different Ways

         Studies show that we tend to raise our children the way we were raised in spite of any training in child-rearing classes we may have received along the way.  Without realizing it, we tend to think that our children will learn the same way we learned without taking into account the differences in inherited traits and personalities.  We can be much more effective in parenting (and grandparenting) if we can understand the differences in the way children learn.

         Some children tend to learn better by hearing information while others learn better by seeing or doing.  Educators classify children as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners.  Actually, all children learn in each of these ways, but most are dominant in one or two of the ways.

         Auditory learners learn best by having a story read to them rather than reading it for themselves.  They like to have music going most of the time and would rather have someone tell them what to do than read instructions for themselves.  They are often musically inclined and can learn better when things are set to music. Auditory learners might learn multiplication tables more easily if they are set to music.  From my experience in teaching, I think many children have not developed listening skills and do not fall into this category.  

         Visual learners learn better with charts and graphs or demonstrations.  They need to see how a word looks to decide if it is spelled right, and they will probably learn their spelling words by writing them over and over rather than just saying them over and over. They will be the individuals who take a lot of notes when they are in high school or college.  They need to be shown how to do things rather than just being told.  Charts for daily chores work well for these children.  They probably won’t just take a person’s word for something.  They will probably want to see for themselves whether something is right.  

         Kinesthetic learners like to use their bodies and do active things.  They are usually the children involved in sports.  They learn best by doing projects. They like doing play-doh projects when they are young.  When they are older, they are the ones who like the social studies and science projects that involve making things.  An example of using a kinesthetic method to teach in school might be to have students stand and turn a certain number of degrees right or left to learn about degrees in a circle.  At home, boys will love to do fix-it projects with dad.  Girls will like cooking or other projects involving action.

         Observance of children will give clues as to how they best learn.  When children constantly doodle and draw pictures, you can know they are the visual learners.  The very active children are usually the kinesthetic learners and it is important to keep them busy with projects.  Quiet children may be the auditory learners as they are listening for sounds in nature or listening to others.  No two children are the same.  Good parents and teachers will learn to observe the differences and capitalize on the way that children learn best.

Helping Children Set Goals for School

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Helping Children Set Goals for School

       If we don’t know where we are going, how do we know when we get there?  Children and adults alike need to know what they are aiming toward.  As we help our children get ready for school, we need to include a time to sit down with each child individually and help that child set realistic goals for the coming school year.

         Goals should be predicated on what is best for the child.  There should be both short-term and long-term goals.  Goals should lead to mastery of needed material for the child’s success.

         It is all too easy for a parent to impose goals on a child to accomplish what the parent wants for the child rather than what the child really needs.  All adults have dreams and aspirations for their children and these same dreams and aspirations can cause us to set goals for a child to accomplish what we want, not taking into consideration the child’s real abilities.  Good goals will take into consideration the problems a child has had and the vision of what that child can realistically accomplish.  To expect all children to be “A” students is not being realistic.  Even if a child is smart enough to be an “A” student, that child may get a teacher whose personality does not “click” with the child, the child may have times when he/she may not feel well, or a child may have a mental block or lack of background experience to provide a needed foundation for understanding of what is being taught.  In fact, grades should not be the priority of goals.  Grades should be taken out of the picture and effort should be emphasized.  If a child is developing good study habits and doing the best possible, that is the important thing.  

         Enough short-term goals should be set to encourage a child along the way.  One short-term goal might be to spend a certain length of time each school night for a week doing homework.  When that goal is reached, another short-term goal of perhaps a month of a certain amount of time spent on homework could be set. The child or parent may decide on an award for the accomplishment of each goal. The emphasis should be placed on spending time learning the material.  Even if a child says that the work is done, sitting there for a certain length of time will provide time for reflection on what is learned as well as thoughts of application of the material learned.  To finish a paper or two does not mean that a child has learned the needed facts. It is wonderful when a child learns the pleasantness of learning!  Learning opens new worlds that many children never discover in their eagerness to “get it over with”.  A long-term goal is to see that the child experiences the joy of learning.  

         Some schools have done away with grades of A, B, C, D, and F.  Some schools are experimenting with promoting children by levels.  When a child can test out of a certain level, that child moves to the next level. There are many examples of students who have made high grades who don’t know the material and vice versa.  Just to “finish homework” doesn’t meet the need of the child.  Parents, as well as teachers, need to make sure that the child knows the material.  Goals should be set to accomplish mastery of material assigned.   

         Each child is unique and one set of goals does not fit all.  As parents take the time to sit down with the child and discuss needs and goals, it would be well to listen to the child first.  Most children will be honest and surprisingly know what they need to do if given a chance.  It is the parent’s role to provide guidance and encouragement.