Ways you can help your child succeed

• Read to your child. 
• Have your child read to you. 
• Talk, sing, and play with your child. 
• Have your child write in a "journal. 
• Add new and interesting books to your home library. 
• Include your child in family "storytelling times. 
• Ask your child to read recipe directions to prepare a meal and help him or her measure the ingredients for that recipe. 
• Take your child grocery shopping, and have him or her "estimate the cost of purchases. 
• Use flashcards to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts at home. 
• Encourage your child to read biographies. 
• Ask your child to think about life without electricity, and discuss his/her responses. 
• Discuss with your child that the family is like a team whose members share and work together for everyone's good. 
• Discuss different kinds of jobs and careers in the community. 
• Share with your child interesting newspaper and magazine articles. 
• Show your child, on a map, places the family has visited or will visit. 
• Have clay, crayons, paint, paintbrushes, blocks, puzzles, and paper available at home for your child. 
• Visit, as a family, museums, zoos, and art exhibits throughout the city.  Discuss with your child what he/she sees when viewing the animals or exhibits. 
• Listen to music together. 
• Walk, hike, or bike together, to the library or to other places of interest. 
• Encourage your child to join an organized activity (baseball, cheerleading, basketball, etc.). 
• Check with your local park district or other community resources for after-school activities. 
• Help your child identify and set fitness goals. 
• Teach your child the difference between foods that are healthy for him/her and those that are not. 

What do children need from parents?

·Scheduling – Establish a set time to do homework each day. You may want to use a calendar to keep track of assignments and due dates. 

·Space - Provide a space for homework, stocked with necessary supplies, such as pencils, pens, paper, dictionaries, a computer, and other reference materials.

·Discipline – Help your child focus on homework by removing distractions, such as television, radio, telephone, and interruptions from siblings and friends.

·Modeling - Consider doing some of your work, such as paying bills or writing letters, during your child's homework time. 

·Support – Talk to your child about difficulties with homework. Be willing to talk to your child's teacher to resolve problems in a positive manner. 

·Involvement – Familiarize yourself with the CPS Homework Policy. Make sure that you and your child understand the teacher's expectations. At the beginning of the year, you may want to ask your child's teacher: 

oWhat kinds of assignments will you give?

oHow often do you give homework? 

oHow much time are the students expected to spend on them?

oWhat type of involvement do you expect from parents? 

What are the benefits of homework to children? 

·Self-esteem - Children learn self-esteem by doing estimable things—completing homework assignments is estimable.

·Accomplishment – Taking pride in homework assignments helps children experience the satisfaction of a job well done.