Hello everyone, I know that Valentine's Day was yesterday, but yesterday I couldn't write my post because I took the day off to be with my loved ones and spend little time on the computer. For those who don't know, I work with 4 and 5 year olds in a kindergarten and I made a heart with them and they had to end the heart with the people they love most, parents, godparents, grandparents, friends with whoever they wanted and the result it was wonderful ☺️
The role of parents in the education of their children is fundamental for the formation of values. After all, the family is responsible for starting the child's development process - physical and intellectual.
Parents are also the main agents for their children to become whole people.
Education and schooling
To begin with, it is worth clarifying two concepts that seem to be the same, but are not: education and schooling.
Education, according to the very definition of the word, is a continuous process of development of human beings, enabling their formation and integration as citizens in society.
This starts with the parents, as they are the main responsible for the formation of their children as a person.
On the other hand, schooling is a set of knowledge obtained through school, with the teacher being responsible for teaching.
The confusion between the two terms is justified. Since educating is a broader concept that also involves schooling.
In most countries, including Brazil, education is a citizen's right, and it is the State's duty to guarantee access to it.
However, the role of parents in this process of personal development cannot be transferred to the school.
That is, the teaching institution and the teachers will not assume the responsibilities that are the parents', something that would certainly be unfeasible.
For children and adolescents to receive the best education and schooling, both the school and the family must work together
The role of parents in their children's education
If schooling is the responsibility of the school, what is the role of parents in their children's education and how to play it well?
First of all, parents need to keep in mind that, in one way or another, they will be role models for their children.
Children observe the behavior and attitudes of their mothers and fathers, so be the best possible role model, the one you would want your children to emulate.
In addition to imposing limits, teaching respect, recognizing and correcting mistakes, parents must also be present in their children's lives, assuming the role of encouraging the child or adolescent.
More than saying “do your homework”, it is essential to follow school activities, ask questions and show interest in what the child is learning.
It is not the parents' obligation to know how to teach some content, but rather to motivate their children to be curious, be interested in school and overcome challenges. Also remember that supporting their dreams is also an important part of this role.
How to offer a good education
So far, we've talked about the differences between schooling and education, as well as the role of parents in their children's education.
Now, we will present some practical tips on how to educate better so that your children develop their skills fully and achieve good results in school.
Be present on a daily basis and open to dialogue
We mentioned a little about the importance of being present in everyday life, but it is worth reinforcing this issue.
More than talking about how the child or adolescent should behave and act, it is necessary to be present in the children's lives.
And that doesn't mean that the father or mother should dedicate themselves exclusively to them, since the vast majority work a lot and have numerous tasks throughout the day.
However, set aside times when your attention is focused only on your children.
The important thing is the quality and not the quantity of hours that will be reserved to be with the children. For example, establish a meal of the day to eat together, without distractions, such as cell phone use.
Also, create opportunities to talk and make yourself available for dialogue. Listen to what they have to say, with care and empathy, allowing them to express their feelings without fear. These two practices are fundamental to creating deeper bonds with children.
Participate in school-sponsored activities
Participating in school activities is an integral part of the role of parents in their children's education. In fact, creating a partnership between school and family provides numerous positive aspects for children and adolescents.
Incidentally, many schools encourage this by promoting periodic meetings, meetings, events and festivities open to the community.
So, when they occur, make room in your routine and participate in the activities.
These moments are important because they allow parents to:
knowledge about the routine of children and adolescents at school;
conversations with teachers and principals to find out if something is not going well;
guidelines for helping children.
So, make it a commitment, especially school meetings.
However, if you are unable to attend any of these, schedule an appointment with the school principal or teacher. This way you will stay on top of the latest school events in your child's life.
Keep track of school performance
In addition to going to meetings and activities promoted by the school, another role of parents in their children's education is monitoring their school performance.
Therefore, check the development of lessons and assignments. Also analyze if there is any specific difficulty.
When parents are aware of how their child's school life is going, it is much easier to identify where adjustments need to be made and offer any kind of extra help.
This even enables intervention right at the beginning of the problem and avoids greater challenges that interfere with learning.
Encourage participation in extracurricular activities Parents should also encourage their children's participation in extracurricular activities - important to complement the education of children and adolescents.
There are several options, but a good alternative is to check those that the school itself offers and even the cultural center of the community.
However, talk to your children to understand their tastes and choose the best activity option.
Be aware of the child's age group and observe her routine so as not to overload her.
Another tip is to think about extra long-term activities that bring future benefits, such as learning a new language, participating in book clubs or being part of sports teams.
I hope you liked it, see you soon friends 😀