FOR RELEASE: September 2002

TITLE: Make Time for Family during the School Year

STILLWATER---Spending quality time with the family often gets placed on the back burner when summer comes to a close, the school year begins and schedules get busy.

Elaine Wilson, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension parenting specialist, offers some advice on how to gain more family time during the school year as well as enhance children’s educational experiences.

Parents can direct their families into participating in programs that include the entire family such as church, 4-H activities, health, sports or fitness clubs and library sponsored literature reading or information workshops, Wilson said.

“While it may not be possible for parents to be in the classroom everyday, most teachers welcome parents’ contributions and involvement. Your child’s music teacher may appreciate your help with recitals or sales and exchanges of sheet music and instruments,” Wilson said. “Classroom teachers welcome parent volunteers to come into the classroom and to share their occupation, hobbies or cultural background.”

Wilson said parents could also use the time in the car to ask children about their daily activities, what books they are reading or to implement other conversation about family, community and political events. Radio, television, newspaper and Internet stories can be used to stimulate informative discussions, when shared as a part of quality family time.

“When you hear your child complain that a topic is too difficult to understand or that they are going to fail a class or test, ask them to explain the problem,” Wilson said. “Be very strict about not allowing the child to say, ‘I’m not smart,’ or ‘I’ll never get this,’” Wilson said. Insist that your child is capable and offer your help.

She also stressed the importance of praising children for displaying habits which lead to good grades such as reading, doing homework, getting plenty of sleep, eating a good breakfast or listening at school.

“Get the focus off the grades and test scores,” Wilson said. “Stress good habits, cooperation and enjoying learning.”

Another way to both spend quality time with family and to expand a child’s educational experience is to take a field trip to a museum or to interview a specialist on a topic that your child is studying.

“Family field trips tell a child that he or she is important enough to be the parental focus for part or all of a day’s activities,” Wilson said. “Combine that with an educational effort and kids will get the message.”

One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of parent-child educational efforts is teaching children how to learn from their mistakes. This positive activity educates and builds self-esteem, Wilson said.

“Help them figure out what went wrong,” Wilson said. “Research shows that when students understand their mistakes, they generally understand the process of getting the right answer and are more likely to do so in the future.”

Wilson said parents should try to be role models of life-long learning.

“Let your child see you looking up answers to your own questions in books or on the Internet,” she said. “One of the most effective forms of promoting desired behavior is to lead by example.”

Prepared for:

Elaine Wilson, Ph.D.

Parenting Specialist

emwilso@okstate.edu

Prepared by:

Mandy Gross

Communications Specialist

grossmh@okstate.edu