If you have the opportunity to volunteer in your child’s school, GO FOR IT! After I had my son, I was able to go back to work with my 4 month old son as the company had an on-site day care. I was able to visit the day care as often as, I wanted and feed him and even rocked him to sleep, even though there was a full staff in the nursery to do that for us, I was able to continue in is developmental stage. This gave me the opportunity, as a new mom to observe, how the staff treated and cared for the infants and the other kids from ages 1 to 4. Most teachers not only encourage, but welcome parents that want to participate in there child’s school activity and interest.

My son turning 5yr next month and will be starting kindergarten and going to a new school, but one thing he knows for sure is that mom will be active in that school too. He has always seen me as being a hand’s on mom when it comes to his school education, I am front and center. I help the teachers when they are going crazy receiving all the kids in the morning, I start setting up for breakfasts and ensuring that the kids wash there hands before eating and help them with some basic eating etiquette, which I notice they need some help in that area. I volunteer in all school activities and take pictures as if I was a photo historian for the school and then give them to each class room teacher and let me say, they welcome all of it. Not only does it give the teachers the opportunity to get down to the business of teaching our kids, but they also take an interest in you as a parent. They are willing to give you additional assistance so when you go home you can continue to monitor child’s learning skills.

Also, a benefit of being active in your child’s school is that, you are able to see first hand the teachers skill set and the interaction they have with the kids. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to watch the behaviors of other kids during class, the interaction your child has with those kids, and the chance to meet those kids parents tas well. At the end of the day, your child will see that you are in engaged in his/her education and activities. He/She will see how you cheer them on in sports and his friends will see, you as the cool mom/dad and will want to hung out at your house instead of the other way around.

In today’s society most parents have demanding jobs which keeps them out of there homes at least 12 hours a day, which provides the opportunity for us not to know what our kids are truly up to or with whom they are spending time with, learning who knows what. Unfortunately, most parents lack the chance to participate in school activities because of those situations.

So if, you have the opportunity to make that early connection in your child’s school years, the better your relationship will become as they grow into there teen years. The insight you will get as to who your child is, what their interest are, and what their issues are in school, the easier it will be to foster a good communication with them and your child will understand that parents get it, they really understand what peer pressure they go through and its okay to discuss them with their parents.

As for me, the time I invest volunteering and participating in my child’s school today, is the seed that is being planted for a better and honest relationship with my child later in their school life.