Improve attendance by instilling a love of learning in your child PDF Print E-mail
Is it a battle getting your kindergartner ready for school, or does he practically bound out the door, eager to see what the day holds? The early years are a critical time to build a love of learning.

To help your child feel excited about attending school:

* Discuss what he likes best about school. It's okay if his answer is "recess" or "lunch." All that matters is that he's happy to be there. Say things like, "I loved lunch, too! It's fun to eat and talk with friends."
* Build friendships with class-mates. Create opportunities for your child to get comfortable with peers, either by inviting them over or by meeting somewhere fun, like a playground.
* Talk positively about your child's teacher. "Mrs. Lawrence is so excited about the field trip to the zoo! She wants the class to have fun and learn a lot about cool animals." Emphasize how much teachers care about students.

Reprinted with permission from the March 2010 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Early Childhood Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2010 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Jolene L. Roehlkepartain and Nancy Leffert, What Young Children Need to Succeed: Working Together to Build Assets from Birth to Age 11, ISBN: 1-57542-070-8 (Free Spirit Publishing, www.freespirit.com).