Parent Tips for June 07

Well here comes summer and everyone’s thoughts will now be on the long, hot summer holidays (we live in hope!). Some kids will be leaving school and thinking of further education opportunities or career options while our younger ones will be facing the exciting but slightly daunting prospect of starting school in August. As you may know by now, all schools and nurseries in Scotland are working towards developing children's learning through learning, teaching activities, every day experiences, events and celebrations. Scotland's aspiration is that every young person becomes a :

successful learner who is enthusiastic and keen to learn new things
confident individual who believes in themselves
responsible citizen who respects others
effective contributor who is resilient and enterprising.

Parents have similar aspirations for their children. It is also known that when parents are involved in their children's learning, children get on better both in and out of school. Parents are already achieving great things and contributing to these aspirations, sometimes without even realising it. Here are a few examples and tips for you this month (June) to help your own children become: .....

Successful learners

It has been exam time and I’m sure saying "Well done, that was hard, and you managed it" could apply to both parents and pupils. Hopefully they will get the results they need and be looking forward to a break from studying and school routine. However, if your child is now leaving school and thinking of what to do next, help them make informed choices and decisions about their learning, training and career opportunities. Try using the Careers Scotland website, it has all the information you need no matter what age or where you live in Scotland. It has details on; Skillseekers, Get Ready for Work and Modern Apprenticeships:

http://www.careers-scotland.org.uk/home/home.asp

Confident individuals
If your little one is starting school in August, encourage them to have a go at new things and allow the time to let them learn through doing without pushing them too hard. Explain that being able to tie their own shoe laces and fasten their coat when they go to school for example would be a great help to the teacher and something she would really appreciate.

Responsible citizens

Obviously it will be great if the weather is good and kids can get outside to play, not only does it save you having to spend money thinking of ways to amuse them but it helps keep them fit. However, if they are stuck indoors because of the weather, get them to help with chores around the house so that they can earn a little pocket money. A great way to get them involved in the household routine and allows them to save up some money for treats like going swimming, skating or going to the cinema.

Effective contributors

Help your child to develop the skills they need to be independent, such as getting used to playing with other children, dressing themselves and looking after their possessions. If they are just starting school or, moving from primary to secondary, encourage them to make friends with someone locally who is doing the same. If they have an older brother or sister, get them to talk to them about what they can expect, how to find their way about etc.

See previous month's tips here.