Education Starts at Home

Some parents think that once their children are at school, they can relax and let the education system take control. But this is not the case at all. As research shows, parents have an even greater influence on their children's academic results than the school does. Most of a child's ability to communicate, to relate to teachers and peers and their attitude to learning, is formed from home. Parents can help give their children a head start, by beginning their education at home.
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<br>Many parents don't realise how they can help their children at home. Things as simple as baking a cake with their children can help them with their education. Measuring out ingredients for a cake is a simple form of maths. Another example of helping young children with their maths is simply planning a birthday party. They have to decide how many people to invite, how many invitations they will need, how much the stamps will cost, how many prizes, lolly bags, cups, plates, and balloons need to be bought, and so on. Children often find that real life experiences help them to do their maths more easily.
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<br>Another way that parents can help their children with their maths, is to give them pocket money. It does not have to be a large amount, and they may have to do chores to earn it. This not only teaches them about the value of money, but they may need to use basic maths to work out how long they will have to save to buy the special toy that they want. This means that children are developing their money sense, as well as their maths skills.
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<br>Reading to children at an early age can give them a head start when they start school. But parents should not stop reading to children when they do start going to school. They still like to be read to, and it can help to increase their sight vocabulary as well. Parents can also help their children with their reading skills by providing them with reading opportunities. Parents can read their children books, signs, magazines – or anything else that interests them. Teaching children the alphabet whilst they are young, can also help them with their spelling and reading.
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<br>Providing children with the right equipment can help with their education. Giving them a quiet place where they can work, read and do homework, with a good reading light and a comfortable chair and desk, are just some of these things. Parents can also help their children by proving them with some reference books, and any other relevant learning material they might need.
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<br>There are many ways that parents can help their children with their oral communication skills. Some of these include letting their child answer the phone and order food and participate in family conversation and informal conversation with neighbours so that they can experience all different situations where different types of speech are used. It is important to encourage good speech, and parents should do this by using correct speech themselves, and helping their children when they say something incorrectly.
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<br>Parents can help with Society and Environment in a number of different ways. For example, they can show their children how the scale and legends on a road map help you to determine your route. Parents can also help their children with finding information for assignments, but they have to make sure that they do not do the assignments for them.
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<br>Science is everywhere around us, and helping children with this subject can be very easy for parents. Pointing out flora and fauna in the garden for example is giving children a head start in their education. The fridge, TV, air-conditioner, and computer are all related to science in one way or another, and teaching young children about these things and of course many others, can help to develop their scientific minds.
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<br>Health starts from an early age, and teaching children basic things at home can help them when they start to go to school. Parents can teach their children about food, exercise, and rest and this will help them with health, as these things are related to it. Parents can also teach their children the importance of safety rules, hand washing, and caring for teeth, all of which are increasing their knowledge of the topic.
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<br>Evidently, parents do need to take an active and interested role in the education of their children. As mentioned, there are a variety of different things that parents should do to help their children with their education, but of course there are many more things that parents can do. If parents don't do any of these things, you can easily see how far their children may fall behind when they go to school. So if parents want their children to do well at school, they must be prepared to help educate their children at home.