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Encourage
good habits in your child by having an early bedtime and
a specific time to rise in the morning. Try letting your child have
his/her own alarm clock to get him/herself up in the morning. Make
sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast. Set a specific
time for homework time in the evenings. Talk about school in an
exciting and positive way with your child. Below are some good tips
for year-around positive interaction between parents and children. Treat your child with respect and kindness. Don't put him/her down when you speak to him/her. Just because a child is smaller or younger does not mean he/she is less worthwhile. Consistency is important. When a rule is broken, a consequence should be implemented. The consequence should be fair and logical--it should fit the infraction. Read together--Read with your child even though he/she may be able to read by him/herself. This allows them to enjoy stories that may be too difficult for them to read alone. You will also send the message to your children that reading is important. The local public library has some great summer programs that are worth looking into. Put special time on your calendar--Everyone's busy and it sometimes seems that there is never enough time to just spend time together. One way to stay connected with your kids is to plan special time with each of them every week. Ask your child(ren) to suggest activities that you can do together. Special time is especially important during the summer when children have so much unstructured time. Give your child responsibilities--Young people who have regular chores know they are making a contribution , and this helps them build their sense of self-confidence. Anytime is a great time to develop new habits such as performing regular chores in the household. Develop hobbies and/or special interests. Help your kids develop hobbies and special interests when they have time to do so. Remember, time that is filled with good interests is time that is not available for getting into trouble. Assist your child in developing these hobbies and special interests. Know where your child is and what he/she is doing. Some children tend to be unattended while they are at home and parents are at work. Make sure your child knows the rules to follow when he/she is home alone. Make sure he/she follows those rules by checking on him/her frequently and by surprise. If your child goes to a friend's house, be sure to talk to those parents and know what your child is doing at all times. Give lots of praise--Emphasizing the things the youngster is doing right can reinforce correct behaviors. Praise effort, not just achievement--Succeeding or being first is less important than doing one's best. What is important is how hard the youngster tries. Remember, your child's brain is still developing. What you say and do affects him/her for his/her whole life.
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