For the Parents
The importance of education to a child
Education is essential for kids because it provides the foundation for lifelong learning.
An American social reformer and writer, Fredrick Douglass once wrote- “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”. Though he wrote these lines in the context of slavery, it also holds true in relation to education. Education gives strength to the children to become strong adults and be successful in the future.
Education is so important in a child’s life that it marks the foundation of his/her success later in life and decides whether he/she will turn out to become a happy and content adult or an emotionally shattered and depressed individual.
We will one day hand over the control of our nation to our children and if they are not educated well to take up the responsibility, the goals that we have set for development will remain unaccomplished.
A nation that doesn’t spend much on child education; forever, remains in the grasp of poverty and misery not only suffering today but also destroying its tomorrow. A child is the key to the success of a nation and education is the key to success of a child. It is only when a child succeeds that the nation will.
Safety First
You may be constantly concerned about your child’s safety, whether they are playing outside or within the house. Keeping your child safe at all times necessitates continual parental guidance. In such cases, establishing a few safety rules for children can be beneficial.
If you are not sure how to go about setting these rules, we’ve got you covered. Continue reading to learn about common safety principles for home and school that you can teach your child to ensure their safety.
At some point, your child will be a pedestrian. Make sure they know the basics, even if they’re riding the bus or getting a ride from a caretaker.
• Driving to school
The roads are always congested right before school starts, so pay attention and slow down.
If you're dropping off your kids, keep a few things in mind at the drop-off zone:
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Learn the drop-off point and procedures for each school.
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Take extra care to obey all traffic laws and take care not to double-park, block crosswalks, or pass stopped vehicles.
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Be prepared to share the road with school buses. Remember to stop when the bus extends the stop sign arm, even if you’re going in the opposite direction.
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Keep your eyes and ears open and look out for distracted children running to board or exit the bus.
• Stick together
Stay with a group of kids whenever possible. It's easier for drivers to see a pack of kids than one by themselves.
• Be visible
Walk on a sidewalk when one is available or walk facing traffic if there is no sidewalk. Wear bright-colored clothing to be more visible to cars.
• Don’t do it alone
Children younger than nine years old should always cross the street with an adult. Make sure your child understands the safest place to cross is at a crosswalk, street corner, or intersection. Make sure they know to never jaywalk across the street.
• Choose the safe route
Choose the safest way possible. Consider risky spots like train tracks and busy intersections.
• Know where to go
Identify safe houses along your child’s walking route. Point out homes of family friends where they can stop for help in case of trouble. Make sure these are people who know your child considers their home a safe place to go. And make sure to choose people who are home during the times your child will be walking by.
• Discuss stranger danger
Make sure your child knows how to respond to strangers they might encounter on their route. Read our guide for more tips on how to stay safe in your neighborhood.
• Go over phone numbers they need to know
If your child carries a phone, teach them how to dial for emergency help. Numbers to include on speed dial are the local emergency dispatch, your phone number, relatives and friends numbers, and anyone else who could help your child in an emergency if the need arises.
The best phones for kids
If your child doesn't have a phone yet, check out our kid-friendly recommendations.
• Prepare for all seasons
Teach your child about special seasonal hazards. When dealing with snow-clearing vehicles, make sure your child knows to stand back until the snowplow or vehicle has gone by. Make sure your child understands that it is never safe to cross or play on storm water drains.
• Be sure they aren’t overwhelmed
Check your child’s backpack weight to make sure they don’t strain their back or lose their balance.
• Check in often
Ask your kids questions about their bus rides, walks, or rides to school (in addition to coursework or their friendships) so you can spot problems early.
How can you help your kids stay safe at school?
• Stay healthy
• Review school policies
• Talk regularly with teachers and administrators
• Encourage open conversation with your child
• Rely on technology for assistance
• Confirm your child’s records are up to date.
• Stay healthy
The COVID-19 pandemic is over, but you can still be vigilant about keeping yourself and your kiddos safe and healthy as they head back to school.
• Review school policies
It’s important to know how a school handles emergency situations and what rules students are expected to follow. At the beginning of every school year, review the school’s handbook with your child. This guide usually answers most parents’ questions, including dress code, visitors policy, emergency drills and routes, and the school’s stance on bullying.
• Talk regularly with teachers and administrators
The best way to stay up to date on the school’s safety policy and follow up with any safety issues is to speak with teachers and administrators on a regular basis. These conversations can shed light on any problems your child is facing. And you can do them over Zoom, email, or the phone if needed.
If the school doesn’t already offer parent-teacher conferences, request one with each teacher towards the middle or end of each semester and with an administrator every academic year.
• Encourage open conversation with your child
Maintaining good communication with your child helps build self-esteem and mutual respect. Focus on creating a safe environment at home that emphasizes open and honest conversation.
When you praise your child’s accomplishments and encourage emotional responses, they will be more inclined to open up about their dreams, struggles, fears, or concerns.
• Rely on technology for assistance
As hesitant as you may be about providing your child with more technology, there are devices that keep your child safe by monitoring their social media and internet use, current physical location, and more. These devices can alert you to cyberbullying and make sure you know where your kid is at all times.
• Confirm your child’s records are up to date
As hesitant as you may be about providing your child with more technology, there are devices that keep your child safe by monitoring their social media and internet use, current physical location, and more. These devices can alert you to cyberbullying and make sure you know where your kid is at all times.
Along with these five tips, the best way to keep your child safe is to speak up.
Holidays & Absence
•Keep little ones safe over the holidays
The holiday season can be hectic – kids are out of school, you’re busy with holiday shopping, you may have family coming to town, or you may be traveling for the holidays. But with all that activity comes increased opportunities for your child to be exposed to abuse. During these times, it’s more important than ever to remember protecting kids is the priority. Here are some tips to help parents and caregivers ensure children are safe during the holiday season.
• Discus Boundaries
During the holidays, there may be additional friends and family members around, and some may want to hug, play with, or tickle your child, or they may ask your child to sit on their lap. Boundaries and respect are key to empowering kids to say “no” to unwanted touches, pictures, etc., by adults or other children. Let your child and other adults know this is a decision your child can make based on THEIR comfort level. If a child says “no” or “stop,” their decision (and their boundaries) should be respected.
• Pay Attention To Signs Of Abuse
Sometimes, adults may observe behaviors or feel that something is not quite right between an adult and a child, but they disregard it because the adult in question is a family member or trusted friend, someone they think could never harm a child. Unfortunately, the truth is, 90% of children are sexually abused by someone they and the family know well, and 70% are abused by a family member. Additionally, abuse can happen at the hands of another child, so be alert to relationships and activities between kids and other youth as well.
Your child depends on you to keep them safe, so if you feel that something is not right, act. It’s okay to ask questions about activities and/or behaviors. And if your child is spending time with others, it’s okay to stop in unannounced. Always follow up with your child after visits to ask about their time away and let them know they can tell you about anything that made them uncomfortable or upset them.
• Limit One-On-One Situations
*Choose the right people*
Limit alone time between a child and another adult, if possible. Eighty percent of sexual abuse occurs in one adult – one child situations, so eliminating or minimizing these opportunities will help you better protect your child. When one-on-one situations can’t be avoided, look for opportunities where that time is interruptible and observable. Let the person who will be alone with your child know your expectations for your child’s safety, that you may drop in unannounced, and will follow up by asking your child about their visit.
One-on-one time between your child and another youth may also provide an opportunity for inappropriate behavior (30% of all child sexual abuse cases are by another child), so it’s essential to monitor these situations.
• Surprise & Secrets
Secrets are often the way abusers keep children silent, for example, telling a child, “This will be our little secret.”
Explain to children that secrets are usually about something unsafe or harmful and aren’t meant to be told to anyone, ever, and surprises are meant to hide fun, good things (such as gifts or parties) for only a short time. Remind your child that if anyone – an adult or another child – ever asks them to keep a secret, they should tell you or another Safe Adult immediately.
• Dangers Can Lurk Online As Well
With time off from school, children will be on their digital devices more frequently, and increased risk comes with increased use. Teach children to be careful what they share online and not include geotags or locations when posting online. Remind them that they should never post sensitive information (such as their location, school, etc.) online, as it could help predators locate them. Remember that an unintended audience may view your child’s posts online and even attempt to contact them. Empower children to tell you if someone they do not know contacts them, asks for personal information, or makes them feel uncomfortable online.
Teach children about good digital citizenship, which is the responsible, respectful, and safe use of the internet. Talk to your children about the importance of being a good digital citizen and how to establish a good digital reputation that will follow them into their future. Important topics to discuss include their privacy settings, posting online appropriately, knowing who their online friends are, being kind to others, and being aware of the online environment to minimize risks to themselves and others.
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Extra Lessons
*The wide variety of extracurricular activities available allows kids to find their passions and talents. These can help children to develop a robust sense of self. In fact, improved self-esteem is one of the most highly reported benefits of extracurricular activities.
*As a parent, it’s natural to want the best for your child. One of the best things you can do for them is to ensure that they have access to quality education. But what happens when your child isn’t doing well in school and they’re struggling to keep up with their studies?
When it comes to education, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every student is different and requires varying approaches to learning. While some kids manage to be more self-directed, others may be struggling and need a little extra help to succeed.
That’s where tutoring comes in. Tutoring provides students with the guidance and personal attention they need to succeed in school.
#Benefits of Tutoring
Tutoring has been proven to be an effective way to help students improve their grades and test scores. There’s more to life than grades and tests and school, though, and tutoring has other benefits that can help your child develop into a healthy, well-rounded adult.
Here are some of the other benefits tutoring can give your child:
• Improves the Student’s Attitude Towards Learning
When students are struggling in school, it’s natural for them to develop a negative attitude towards learning because they feel like they’re not good enough. Thankfully, one of the advantages of tutoring is that it helps them see that they’re making progress which can help change their mindset towards learning. They’ll start to see it as a positive and fun experience instead of a frightening chore.
• Improves Academic Performance
In a meritocratic society, the importance of tutoring has never been more evident. Academic performance is often linked to future success. That’s why it’s important to give your child every advantage you can.
• The Student Receives One-on-One Attention
A typical classroom setting can be chaotic, where one teacher juggles the attention of 30 students. It’s no wonder that some students tend to get lost in the shuffle. However one of the benefits of one-on-one tutoring is that your child is the sole focus of the tutor. This allows for a more personalized approach to learning and caters to your child’s specific needs and learning style.
• Encourages Self-Directed Learning
Taking the initiative to seek help when they’re stumbling is a fundamental quality for your child to have. It shows that they’re willing to take responsibility for their education and their success.
Tutoring is a great way to encourage self-motivated learning because it gives them the chance to seek out help on their terms. This can lead to a lifelong love of learning and a desire to continue growing and expanding their knowledge.
• Improved Confidence and Self-Esteem
Children are often very self-conscious and face a lot of pressure to fit in at a young age. They’re worried about what their classmates think of them and whether or not they’re “smart enough.” This can lead to a lot of anxiety and stress.
Tutoring can help improve your child’s confidence and self-esteem by giving them the chance to thrive in a safe and supportive environment. As they see their grades improve and their skills develop, they’ll start to feel better about themselves.
This newfound confidence can carry over into other areas of their life, such as their social life and extracurricular activities.
• Encourages Self-Directed Learning
Taking the initiative to seek help when they’re stumbling is a fundamental quality for your child to have. It shows that they’re willing to take responsibility for their education and their success.
Tutoring is a great way to encourage self-motivated learning because it gives them the chance to seek out help on their terms. This can lead to a lifelong love of learning and a desire to continue growing and expanding their knowledge.
• Students Create Better Study Habits
To become better students, they need to form structured study habits. A private tutor will help your child learn how to focus, be organized, and set goals. Building these positive habits at a young age will not only help them succeed academically but in their future careers as well.
• The Learning Process Happens in a Stress-Free Environment
Not all students cope well in a classroom environment. They may feel pressure to keep up with their peers or they may feel like they’re not meeting their teachers’ expectations. Regardless, a benefit of private tutoring is the focus is on them and their needs. This makes for a more relaxed learning environment where your child can learn at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and even frustrated.
