Notes From This Episode:

Background

• Important habits for school success is a topic that is near and dear to my heart.
• We are here to help our children succeed, and parents do not realize how important their home environment is to their child’s success.
• These habits for school success are habits that parents need to incorporate into their home.

Habits and Routines to Remove Stress

• Children who come from homes with a low stress level and good structure are children who do the best in school.
• We want to have a home that has great systems and routines in place.
  • Begin with a structured evening routine – one that allows children to get as much sleep as possible.
    • Implement a consistent, early bedtime with no room for argument from your children.
    • Do not leave or allow technology in the bedrooms because the children will sneak it.
    • Your entire routine from coming home from school to bedtime is organized in such a fashion that allows the maximum amount of sleep possible for your children.
  • Figure out how to make your morning routine as simple as possible.
    • Have all clothes laid out the night before and the backpacks packed, ready to go.  If you are able to have this ready ahead of time, no one is running around, stressed out the next morning.
    • Set your alarm so that you are awake before your children, and make sure you have given yourself enough time so that you are not rushing around.
  • Have an after school routine that flows directly into your evening routine.
    • Give your children a snack and then send them outside to burn excess energy.

Set High Goals for Your Children

• We want our children to show up with a high goal of always doing their best.  The letter/number grade is irrelevant as long as we see them doing their best.
• Tell your children to show up for the world – whether it is in school, in activities around the home, or simply in your appearance.
  • This will help your children develop greater self-esteem, which creates more self-confidence, which in turn, welcomes more daring.
• Utilize a growth mindset with your children.  Give your children the opportunity to grow in ways they didn’t imagine they could grow and actively seek opportunities where your children can learn, stretch, and grow
  • Failure is just a way to learn.  Do not let your children quit when it is hard.  Help them get beyond that to the place of success.
• Value education by making sure your child is a prepared student.

Connect with Your Children

• When your children come home from school, talk to them about their day, and do not let them get away with “I don’t know” or allowing them to avoid the conversation.
• Consider connecting with your children at a family dinner.
• Connection with your children will make them become firm and solid in who they are and who their family is, and it will take the stress away.

Setting the Example

• Habits for school success are actually habits that we as parents must practice in order to teach our children.
  • If you, the parents, live these habits and virtues and work to teach your children these habits and virtues, then they will naturally practice them.
• What virtues are you creating in your family so that you can have children who stick to a routine, who have high goals, and who connect with you?
  • Orderliness
  • Perseverance
  • Cheerfulness
  • Patience
  • Obedience
  • Respect for others

Final Thoughts

• What kind of adult do you want your child to be?  Treat your children according to how you want them to be when they grow up.
• Teach your child to create goals for themselves and work hard to achieve them.  Teach them to value and practice orderliness.  Teach them that it is their job to find out how far they can go and how good they can get in something.
• Acknowledge and celebrate your children when they do their best.