School Marks

One of the most important things that a parent can come to realize is that the role that he or she plays in a child's education is going to change over time. Here are some of the common stages that this role will go through:

• PreK - Before your child enters kindergarten, you are most likely his primary teacher.
• Elementary - You must transition to allowing the classroom teacher to take over the primary role. Your focus should be on helping your child to develop good homework habits and fostering a positive attitude towards school.
• Junior High - This is a difficult time during which children are struggling to fit in with peers. Although education is important, the parent should focus on assisting the child to balance school with developing a healthy social life.
• High School - This is when a parent should play a supportive and instructive role in guiding children towards college. Keep an open mind towards many different colleges and be available as a resource for your teen.
• College - When a child enters college, it is time for him to become an adult. The parent should no longer be extensively involved in the school life. However, this is a great time for parents to actively engage their children in conversation about social issues that they are learning in school. This shows respect for the child.

A parent who successfully navigates the different roles that he or she will need to play in education over time will be a parent who can always brag about the child's successes.