Parents Still Make the Difference

By Anonymous -
As we conclude don’t let spring fever affect your child’s attendance!


Fever is a reason to keep your child home from school.   Spring fever, however, doesn’t count.  The first rule for doing well in school is a simple one:  Your child needs to be there.  That’s true even on warm spring days when he’d rather be doing something else.

Poor attendance can lead to all sorts of problems, including:
·      Poor grades.
·      Having to repeat a grade.
·      Dropping out of school.
·      Trouble with the law.  Children with too much time on their hands may be tempted to try illegal activities.

The good news is that you can play a big role in making sure your child attends school.  Be sure to:
·      Tell your child that school is his most important job at this time in his life.  Let him know you expect him to be there every day.
·      Don’t let your child stay home for frivolous reasons.  Being tired or unprepared are not valid excuses.
·      Make sure the school knows how to contact you if your child is absent.
·      Work with the school if you discover your child has been skipping school or some of his classes.  There may be a bigger problem going on.
Talk to your child first, then to his teachers and other school staff if necessary.  Most problems can be solved when parents and schools work together.

Excerpted from The Parent Institute, Middle School Parents Still Make the Difference, April 2017, Vol. 20, No. 8


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