Parents who smother their children with attention - from over scheduling their activities to helping choose their friends - are known as "Helicopters." They hover. They intrude. They micro-manage.
By contrast, children with "No Rescue" parents are on their own. Mom and Dad have vowed to raise independent, self-sufficient offspring. The kids decide on the scheduling and the friends. The parents let them choose. Let them struggle. And, sometimes, let them fail
I will be honest and tell you my style is a mix between the two . While I don’t hover over Ramiyah , Ariella and Sariah, I do make sure they are relatively guided. Sometimes I say I’m a nurturing tiger-like Mom...
Which is better - hovering or hands-off? Actually, children can benefit from both approaches.
Below are three positive "Helicopter" actions parents can take to keep their kids on the right academic track. In a later post, I'll share "No Rescue" ideas that help youngsters grow as students.
When it comes to your child's education:
● Get involved. Check with the teacher or teachers to see how your son or daughter is doing in class. Going to parent teacher conferences is a must; if the times aren't inconvenient, schedule a phone call or an email exchange. As I've noted before, students with involved parents are more likely to score higher on tests and earn better grades.
● Raise the bar by teaching your children about goals and helping them set some. Examples: reading for 10 minutes a night for a month or learning portions of their multiplication tables each week or improving from a B- to an A in English by the end of the semester.
The key is to make goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.
● Help your children picture success. Break out the crayons and markers, and ask them to draw a picture of themselves reaching a goal. It could be them waving report cards with all As.
Or they could draw themselves as a queen or king, ruling over a Multiplication Kingdom.
Tack the results to their bedroom wall as an artsy reminder of what they're trying to achieve. Ramiyah wants to study law at Stanford, and so she made a vision board for her wall. During Spring Break, we will visit the campus so she can set foot in the Stanford Law School building. This helps her believe she can really reach her goal with lots of effort and dedication.
I’d love to sit with you and learn more about you and your student(s). Come to my office at 717 Texas Street, Fairfield, CA this week for a free assessment. Miracle Math Coaching is a great first step to boosting your child's school performance.
If you'd like to know more about me and my program, please visit our website athttp://www.miraclemathcoaching.com, call me at 707-398-3474, ext. 2700 or email me anytime with questions I love what I do! It is my pleasure to serve you and your family and share my knowledge. (Deanna@miraclemathcoaching.com)
