The other day I was at my son’s hockey practice and saw a fellow teammate with a great slogan printed on his water bottle. On the side of the bottle it read, “You get OUT what you put IN!” The phrase made me think, “Couldn’t we all learn from this? In life, we get OUT what we put IN!“
Do your children know how to “put in” what is necessary to “get out” success? Or are you the one who is doing the work?
Many times as parents we feel it is our “job” to help our children do their homework, chores, and other tasks. And we also correct many of their mistakes. When we do this, we are the ones putting in all the work and our children will never get anything out of it, not reaping the rewards of that work. We need to help and encourage children to put all they can into school, sports, friendships, activities, and life.
Here are a few things to think about in helping your children put all they can into their academic life.
- Think about studying “many times, many ways” to truly gain knowledge of the material rather than a one time shot at learning the material.
- Before tests guide your children in making and taking a practice test. GRADE IT to gain the confidence to know they have mastered the material.
- When studying for finals, have children use their old materials to re-learn, refresh and remind themselves about the material covered.
- When your child gets a lower grade on a test or project help them set up a plan to meet with their teacher and learn what they did wrong and gain steps to do better next time.
- Even at a young age empower your children to know how to talk and communicate with their teachers. This can include – email, student led conferences, and learning how to run a meeting with an adult
- Your child’s school experience is not a sprint, it is a marathon. And just like a marathon it takes training and time. Make sure children are putting in the work necessary to get out all they can for the future. When kids put in all they can for school and life, they will truly feel the rewards of confidence and pride in a job well done.