Responsibility
How to support your primary school child
Schools do not prepare children for any world let alone the real one.
One does not have to look very far to validate my claim as many highly intelligent individuals who make it their business to predict what the future is going to be like for our children have all admitted that they themselves cannot predict even so much as the next six months in advance let alone an entire childhood . The one thing they do have consensus on is that the preparation that is needed is not merely them getting ready for the next phase of their schooling but reaches much further than this. It lies in the skills necessary to navigate a world that is changing with more pace and dynamism than we, as a human species, have ever experienced before.
One step at a time
1. If your child is unclear, insist on clarity.
2. If your child gives you too little notice, insist that he/she make notes and reminders for him/herself in the future.
3. Post these reminders in an easily accessible place where they may see and remember the note or reminder they have made.
4. Rehearse with your child the steps he/she will take in seeing that these notes are seen.
5. Do not drop everything for an errand or for supplies on a moment’s notice at 21:00 at night and rush off to the far side of town because your child suddenly remembers a list of items he/she was to ask for a week ago.
6. Let your child experience the consequences and help him/her plan to be more organized in the future.
7. If your child asks for something that does not sound reasonable ask him/her to sit down at that moment and write out, or explain their request.