Show Interest in Your Grandchildren's Education

The end of August beginning of September marks for many children the first days and weeks of a new school year.  Grandparents who have been involved in their grandchildren's lives over the summer now find themselves taking a back seat to school, extracurricular activities, social clubs, homework and play dates. 

School rather than being the activity that takes grandchildren away can actually draw you closer to them as it is an activity we all engaged in and have some familiarity with.  Yes, we know new math and computer skills were never part of your education but learning was as was being involved in school life and that is the foundation of every education.

The first step is knowing the grade your grandchildren are going into and the name of their teacher.  Having the teachers name adds to questions you will have for them. 

“What did you learn at school today?” In our experience gets the typical nothing or I don't know answer where “What did Mrs. Smith teach you today?” provides your grandchild with a concrete memory trigger point.  They instantly see Mrs. Smith as she was that day and they will recall something she said, did or taught them.  This question in our experience is more likely to get an answer of some kind.

The second step is to go online and search out the school board or better still the school where you grandchild attends website.  Here you will learn interesting things about the day to day activities of the school.  The name of the sport teams, what fund raisers are happening etc.  Now you have the information necessary to ask specific question and to get involved.

Rather than having your grandchildren approach you to buy magazines how exciting for your grandchildren to have you call them and say, Saw that your school is funding well I would like ... magazine and I spoke to your Aunt Carla and she would like... or Calling your grandson to congratulate him on winning the soccer game.  No matter how far away you live the school website keeps you in the know so you can ask interesting questions.

Want to send the message to your grandchildren that school is important and school life exciting for their birthday or Christmas buy them a school t-shirt or hoodie.

By being involved in their school life you send a powerful message that will support their becoming involved as well and the more involved in school they are research says the better their education will be.

Grandma Snyder

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