You are definitely aware of how essential it is to support your kid in all aspects of their life 👩‍👦. It will help build a strong and healthy relationship between you, and will enable them to feel more confident. And of course, this support also applies to schooling!

Encouraging your kid throughout the whole school year, from the beginning of school to the end-of-year exams – if they are already older – and all the months in between, is super important to show them that you care and that they can count on you!

As usual, as a parent, do your best! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and don’t hesitate to ask for help 🙏🏽!

Here are some tips to help you be supportive during the school year, and to keep them motivated! 

Encourage your kid for the beginning of school

When it’s time to go back to school after a nice and relaxing summer break, it looks like the perfect timing to encourage your kid to adopt new habits and to go back to a more normal and healthy rhythm ⏰.

Whether they have been to school before or this is their very first day, you can prepare them to what they should expect on that day. This applies all the more if this year’s back to school is a big step for them: if they have just changed school, if they enter a new school level,… It might be a lot for them to emotionally handle 😧. If you see them struggling for this first day and the following ones, encourage them by giving them something to look forward to after school. They will certainly keep this in a corner of their head all day long as a motivation. It can simply be “we will have a special snack together and we can play your favourite game”!

Explain or remind the general schedule for the upcoming year in order to prepare them the most you can. For example, let them know that their Granpa will pick them up from school on Mondays and Thursdays, that they have a football practice on Tuesdays and that they don’t have school on Wednesdays afternoons. That way, they won’t be too surprised about what to expect and will quickly adapt to this new rhythm 🤗.

Another easy tip is to establish good habits right from the start, and ensure that they last all year long: have a solid family morning routine, spend some quality time together after school while asking about you kid’s day,… Also, take the opportunity to remind them some of the values that are important to your family and should be important to them while being with the other pupils and the teachers: be 100% themselves while being empathetic, respectful, honest,…

Encourage your kid throughout the school year

Once the first days have passed and the school rhythm is well established for everyone, do your best to keep things running smoothly 🛼.

Care about your kid’s possible schoolwork and offer your help, but don’t forget to give them space: this will teach them to be independent and won’t put too much pressure on them, which could have the opposite effect…

Praise the progress, not only the result, as long as they give as much as they can. Congratulate even small achievements and not only huge ones 💪. Be positive and optimistic regarding their efforts for school!

Get interested in what they learn, what they like and what they don’t, and don’t forget to thank them for sharing their day with you: it will surely encourage them to explain more. Don’t push too much if they don’t want to some days, it might make them not want to say anything more!

Finally, get them to commit to some nice after-school activities, such as sport, a drama class, a drawing class, a music class,... Things to express or exert themselves and to think about something else than school and schoolwork!

Encourage your kid for their tests and exams

If your kid is already older, they might have some tests during the school year and/or some exams at the end of it. It is the perfect moment to encourage them to do their very best 💪🏼.

Be present but without being oppressive and putting too much pressure on them. Ask if there is something you can do to help them and if they have some difficulties with one subject, offer them the possibility of private lessons.

Tell them often that they are capable, it will help them work towards success! At the same time, don’t expect perfection, be supportive and accept failure: failure is success in progress!

Of course, don’t hesitate to remind them that you believe in them. For example, encourage them by leaving small notes on their desk with empowerment quotes such as “Always do your best” or “The harder you work the better you get”! 🤗 They should be super grateful for your support.

We hope this will help you to approach this new school year in a serene and positive way! Let us know how you keep encouraging your kid throughout the year! 🎒🏫