Parents: Show up!

How do we get kids invested in school?  What makes kids care about school?  How do we reinforce the idea to our kids that we care about their education and their future? 

Parents – let your kids know you are their best cheerleader.  Show up. 

This month and next, parents will proudly file into the various auditoriums around the county and D.C. to watch their children graduate after 12 years of reading, writing, and tough math (it's no longer basic arithmetic).  They will be just as proud assembling for the middle school promotion, the elementary school clap-out, and the Pre-school commencement.  It's the feather in the parenting cap: I have raised an educated child.

As important as showing up on this last day of school – maybe more, so that you can take your seat among the parents with educated, graduating children - is showing up on the days leading up to it, for all those 12 years.  Parents, we have to show up for the chorus concert and the school play.  For the parent/teacher conferences and back-to-school night. To cheer at the basketball game and the spelling bee.  We’ve got to show our kids that we’re part of this process we call school, too.

It would be nice to put the little people on the yellow bus and wait for them to come back at 3 pm with no other obligation to their education. That would be easy. But no one ever said educating children was easy - ask your teachers.  Research has shown that students whose parents are more involved in their school are better students. It makes sense doesn't it? When the parents make the extra effort, kids get the idea that this is important.

I know, this is preaching to the choir for some. But for many parents, showing up at school is not part of their plan. And yes, I realize that many parents work during the school day. Or they work at night.  Or their kid said they don't want them to come to school.  Do you let your children get away with all those excuses?

I’m not even talking about volunteering at school (that’s another day, another topic). I’m just saying show up.  I went to the spring play at a local high school a few weeks back. I’m sure the students put a lot of work into learning their lines and working on their choreography and practicing their music. But they were performing to an almost empty theatre.  The seats were maybe a third filled.  Admittedly, I was only there for one performance, so perhaps the others were standing room only. But, I’m not so sure that’s true.  I’m sure those kids would’ve loved to finish the show to the cheers and applause of their parents and siblings and grandparents and friends.  Even the big, professional actresses and athletes look out into the crowds and thank mom or wave signs that say “hi mom.” It’s the greatest audience a kid could have.

You’ve got a few more weeks.  There will be author’s teas and film festivals and class plays and poetry slams.  Something’s happening at your kid’ school.  Show up.  Watch them smile.