Four simple ingredients can
make any child more successful in school.
First comes support. Young
people need to know that someone is in their corner. They can be successful if
they feel that someone cares deeply about whether they succeed or fail, and if
someone is proud of their successes and their efforts.
Second is having boundaries.
Children need adults who act
like adults.
Parents who are firm and loving
have children who do better at school, feel more self-confident, and get into
less trouble than children whose parents are either too strict or too lenient.
Third is empowerment. All
people need to know they make a difference.
Encourage children to provide
service to others. Make sure they take part in school, community, or religious
organizations that give them the chance to serve and contribute.
And fourth is constructive use
of time. After school, children still need to be involved in constructive
activities. Research shows that children who watch more than 10 hours of TV per
week are less successful in school than those who watch less.
So be sure young people have
challenging and interesting activities to do after they leave the classroom
each day.
These four elements — support;
boundaries; empowerment; and constructive use of time — have proven to make a
big difference in a child’s success at school and in life.
