Children sometimes spend more time watching TV than doing homework or other school activities. Here are some suggestions for helping your child use TV and video games wisely:

¤ Limit the time that you let your child watch TV or play video games, otherwise these will cut into important activities in a child's life, such as reading, playing with friends and talking with family. Be aware of what video games he likes to play and discuss his choices.

¤ Model good TV viewing habits. Children often imitate their parents' behavior. Those who live in homes in which parents and other family members watch a lot of TV are likely to spend their time in the same way. Children who live in homes in which parents also like to read, talk to each other, play games or engage in other activities tend to do the same.

¤ Watch TV with your child when you can. Talk with him about what you see. Answer his questions. When you can't watch TV with your child, check from time to time to see what he's watching. Ask questions after the programme ends. See what excites him and what troubles him. Find out what he has learned and remembered.

Using the library

Libraries can be places of fun and discovery. Helping your child find out about libraries will set him on the road to being an independent learner.

¤ Introduce your child to the library as early as possible, even as a toddler. See that he gets his own library card as soon as possible so that he can check out his own books.

¤ When you take your child to the library, introduce yourself and your child to the librarian. Ask the librarian to show you around.

¤ Let your child know that she must follow the library's rules of behaviour.

Using the internet

For children to succeed today, they must be able to use the internet.

¤ Spend time online with your child. If you don't have a computer at home, ask your local council if they have computers that you and your child may use or go to an internet cafe. If you're not familiar with computers or with the internet, learn along with your child, or take advantage of the free courses to be offered by the government. If your child knows about computers, let her teach you. Ask her to explain what she is doing and why. Ask her to show you her favourite web sites. This will help her build self-confidence and pride in her abilities.

¤ Help your child to locate appropriate web sites. Make sure that she understands what you think are appropriate. Point her in the direction of sites that can help her with homework or that relate to her interests. Pay attention to any games she might download or copy from the internet. Some games are violent or contain sexual or other content that is inappropriate for children. Resources such as GetNetWise (www.getnetwise.org) can help you to make good web site choices. You might consider using "filters" to block your child from accessing sites that may be inappropriate.

¤ Monitor the amount of time that your child spends online. Internet surfing can be just as time consuming as watching TV. Don't let it take over your child's life.

Responsibility and independence

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, 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. For example, don't automatically defend your child if his teacher tells you that he is often late in class or is disruptive. Ask for his side of the story. If a charge is true, let him take the consequences.

¤ Work with your child to develop a reasonable, consistent schedule of jobs to do around the house. List them on a calendar. Younger children can help set the table or put away their toys and clothes. Older children can help prepare meals and clean up afterwards.

¤ Show your child how to break a job down into small steps, then do the job one step at a time. This works for everything - getting dressed, cleaning a room or doing a big homework assignment.

¤ Make your child responsible for getting ready to go to school each morning - getting up on time, making sure that he has everything he needs for the school day and so forth. If necessary, make a checklist to help him remember what he has to do.

¤ Monitor what your child does after school, in the evenings and on weekends. If you can't be there when your child gets home, give her the responsibility of checking in with you by phone to discuss her plans.

Active learning

Children need active learning as well as quiet learning such as reading and doing homework. Active learning involves asking and answering questions, solving problems and exploring interests. Active learning also can take place when your child plays sports, spends time with friends, acts in a school play, plays a musical instrument or visits museums and bookstores.

To promote active learning, listen to your child's ideas and respond to them. Let him jump in with questions and opinions when you read books together. When you encourage this type of give-and-take at home, your child's participation and interest in school is likely to increase.

Working with teachers and schools

Many teachers feel they don't often receive information from parents about problems at home, while many parents feel they don't know what the school expects from their children - or from them. Sharing information is essential and both teachers and parents are responsible for making it happen.

¤ First, learn everything that you can about your child's school. The more you know, the easier your job as a parent will be. Ask questions if necessary. For example: What are your expectations for my child? How does the school measure progress? What are the school's rules and regulations? Are the science textbooks up to date?

¤ Keep in touch with your child's teacher. Contact her early in the year and show your interest. Tell teachers what they need to know about your child. If you notice a big change in your child's behaviour, school performance or attitude, contact the teacher immediately. And while reports are one indication of how well your child is doing in school, you also need to find out how things are going in between.

¤ At parents' day, take notes and ask for an explanation if you don't understand something. The teacher should offer specific details about your child's work and progress. Talk about your child's talents, skills, hobbies, study habits and any special sensitivities such as concern about weight or speech difficulties. Tell the teacher if you think your child needs special help and about any family situation or event that might affect your child's ability to learn. Ask about specific ways to help your child at home. At home, follow up. If the teacher has told you that your child needs to improve in certain areas, check back in a few weeks to see how things are going.

¤ Schools have a responsibility to keep you informed about your child's performance and behaviour and you have a right to be upset if you don't find out until report time that your child is having difficulties. On the other hand, you may figure out that a problem exists before the teacher does. Alert the teacher so that you can work together to solve a problem in its early stages. Approach the teacher with a cooperative spirit. Don't go to the head without first giving the teacher a chance to work out the problem with your child.

¤ Be involved in school activities. Go to sports events and concerts, prize days and so on. If you have the time, look for ways to help out at your child's school as a volunteer.

Adapted from a US Department of Education publication, Helping Your Child Succeed in School.

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