Top Five Ways To Stay In Touch With Your Child


Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may find that your "special talks" occur less frequently... You may become disheartened by the mere fact that your child now has new friends to share his daily stories with...


To prevent yourself from losing your mind and losing touch with your child when he/she goes to school full-time, try the following five exercises in communication.

1) Make it a point to ask your child about his/her day as soon as you see him/her after school. (Do not accept a "nothing" response - rephrase your question as many times as needed to get a "real" response: for example: What did you learn today? or What was the best part of your day today?)

2) Make it a priority to ask your child what they brought home in their backpack each day. (Do not pry too much but do make it your business to know what they have in their backpack every day...)

3) Get involved with your child's homework. Even if they're only in kindergarten or first grade, their teacher probably will send some type of homework home at least once a week, keep an eye out for this and then be an active participant in the completion of any homework.

4) Become a volunteer at your child's school. Almost every school, whether public or private, needs help - parent volunteers in many areas. Donate your time, your expertise, your knowledge, your love and compassion for children....

5) If you cannot volunteer your time and get to know your child's classmates, give something of yourself in some other way that will keep you involved in your child's life. Any type of effort/interaction on your part with their teacher will bring satisfaction and reward to you and your child.

The bottom line is simple. Just because your child is now in school seven or eight hours a day - does not mean he/she does not STILL need you and/or that you cannot continue to be an active part of their daily life.

Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
Are You Meeting ALL Your Childs Basic Needs?
This may come as a surprise, but many parents are unaware ofthe full extent of their child's basic needs.Do you remember the old song by Lennon and McCartney aboutthe girl leaving home after 'living alone for so manyyears'? The parents were desolate.
Parenting in the Kitchen - Lessons in Cooking, Socializing, and Bonding
Kitchens are where everything happens. It's not just where meals are prepared - it's usually the hub of the home, where family and friends get together to spend time.
Understanding Why Your Child Has Been Recommended for Testing
You have just received a call from your child's teacher explaining that she has noticed your child having difficulty in school.  Your child is not understanding math or reading the way the other children do.
Homeschooling - Can I Do It?
Many parents would like to homeschool their children but are afraid they don't have the training or ability to be their children's teacher. This is certainly understandable, because most parents never had any formal training to be a teacher.
The Homeopathic Nutraceutical Attend as an Alternative to Ritalin
You no longer have to use Ritalin or other stimulants to treat ADHD. You no longer have to consider anti-depressants as the alternative to stimulants.
The Twenty-First Century Parent
John was a 43 year-old sales manager at a large company. He's married and has 3 children, ages 7, 9, and 12.
Saving Money on Preschool: Readiness Skills Needed for Kindergarten
As a mom of 4 who's youngest child is about to start Kindergarten this Fall, I'd like to share with you some things I've learned about Preschool over the last ten years, along with a list of readiness skills every child can be learning at home - whether attending Preschool or not.Preschools, especially those taught in a church environment, are a wonderful resource that help prepare children for regular school.
Violence in Media
In the news, we hear and see an increasing number of reports about violence among children. This goes from rude fights on the playground to armed incidents in schools that result in injuries or even casualties.
Television - The Great SATAN!
I've often thought that in 6 million years, archaeologists will marvel at the devotion the 21st century Earthlings had to their household gods. Excavation will show these deities in virtually every home, obviously objects of devotion, the focal point in a room.
Normal and Logical Consequences
Successful parents have learned to be both firm and kind at the same time. They set boundaries and work with their children to help them understand that they will follow through with appropriate action if inappropriate behavior continues.
Dad, Go Ahead and Cry
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her face was lit up with joy.
The Seven Keys of Being a Father
Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson maintains that adults have a fierce desire to protect and nurture the next generation. This is the generative nature of parenting- to nurture and protect the next generationWe recognise this desire in women as the maternal instinct.
Teaching Reading : Part Two
We know that you want your little guy or gal to have the best start. The greatest thing you can do for your child is to provide a home filled with love and laughter.
Internet Dangers - Protecting Children from Internet Jeopardy
Parents are in a unique position to "monitor" their children's internet activities and to observe their behavior with respect to any actions generated by the child's internet use. If children are hiding something from a parent, usually an astute parent will sense that something is askew.
Whats Mine Is Mine
You are at the grocery store with your daughter and she pulls out her hard-earned fifty cents and begins to buy a candy. Your son is at home with his soon to be step-Dad and fifty cents is jingling in your pocket.
Illegal and Legal Drug Usage in the United States
How bad is the illegal drug problem here in the US? Very bad and it alters the brain's thought process and causes a problem with human interaction and our natural socializing tendencies. The drugs are so diverse and so plentiful that it touches the lives of nearly every American in some way and certainly nearly every family in this country.
Your Kids Career - Whose Choice?
A strange thing happened to me today. Or more precisely, a strange thought occurred.
ADHD: Some Survival Strategies for Parents
In our last issue we posted some of our suggested Survival Strategies for parents, and then asked readers to contribute some of their thoughts or tips. Since this newsletter is already running pretty long, I'll only list a few of them below.
The Metamorphosis of The Brain: Raising Your child to be a Brainiac
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in early prenatal life (just 3 weeks after conception), the brain's development is a lifelong endevour, endlessly under construction, constantly reshaping and redefining itself based on everyday life and the types of stimulation that we provide for it.
The Truth About Motherhood
What is the mystery of motherhood? I know that when I was pregnant, experienced mothers could not stop giving me advice on taking care of newborns, delivery expectations and child care solutions. Yet, no mother ever told me how dreadful post partum depression could be, how much my world would change, how one person can bring so much to my life.