They need you
Virtual Mom, Julie Hunt, reminds us that taking time to get involved in your child's education is vitally important. I was glad to provide a couple of quotes and encourage the effort.
Why bother? The payoff is two-fold: You will feel good about investing your time, talent or money, and the kids will feel good to have you involved in the school. "Staying connected to other parents to encourage one another, staying abreast of what's going on in the schools and what policies are being created that affects their children's education, and knowing how to impact the system for their child's benefit are just a few ways parents can be better advocates for their children," Brooks says.I know most of us already have a lot to do but investing in your children pays enormous dividends for you and them. At the recent Litton Middle School open house I was at the PTA table encouraging parents to participate and heard several say they didn't have time. I nodded understanding and told them that the commitment portions were smaller than they used to be and 'many hands make light work'. l encouraged them to talk with the school and the other parents. Let them know what your skills and talents are and what time you do have available. Some help is better than none.
As a friend wiser than me often quotes: "This job is too important to be left to the professionals." They're your children and they need you.
2 comments:
A great article, but in terms of "There is no better predictor for a child's success than the involvement of their parents or guardians," the most important thing is left out: reading to and with your child. Not to downplay being a volunteer in the school at all, but I'd bet the amount of reading in a home is the best predictor of a child's success. Of course, the people who need to "hear" that probably aren't reading the Tennessean.
Tom,
You're exactly right. Reading with your children is a fundamental that every parent should be doing. When I talk about parental involvement I don't limit it to volunteering in the school. That was the focus of the Virtual Mom article and so I can see how that would frame and seem to limit my statement.
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