What is the Parents Role in a Child's Education

In our society, the educational system and parents often seem disconnected. There are many reasons for this. Economic problems may cause parents to spend a lot of time working. Some parents don't feel particularly qualified and think that it is better to leave this to the experts. Apart from the occasional parent-teacher conference, many parents have little or no involvement in their child's education.

A distorted view of what it means to be successful can also contribute to this problem. Society has conditioned many of us are to believe that money or fame are the only worthwhile goals. So we see children pushed to excel in advanced classes, after school activities and various sports. The end result is children that are often exhausted and stressed.

When we think about the role a parent plays in a child's education, we really need to analyze the goal of that education. Once we have a clear view of the purpose of education, we can more readily see how a parent can best be involved in their children's education.

The first thing that we need to identify is the purpose of our children's education. It isn't to cram their heads full of facts. It isn't to make them famous or wealthy, either. At least, those shouldn't be the goals.

The basic goal of any education should be to produce a responsible, capable adult. One who is able to function well in society, care for themselves and their responsibilities and contribute to society as a whole.

We can all think of people we know who are allegedly well educated, but simply can't function in life. The entertainment magazines are full of actors, musicians, sports stars and politicians who may have achieved some measure of wealth or fame, but whose personal lives are an absolute disaster.

In order to successfully complete a journey, the first thing you need to do is select a destination. When we think about our child's future, we need to keep that final result in mind. While it may be a symbol of prestige to have a doctor or a lawyer in the family, it's obvious that we aren't all going to be doctors or lawyers. There is also a need for plumbers and auto mechanics (and many of them make a good living, without sacrificing many years in schools and universities). So, when we think about turning out a capable adult, what are the qualities we need to try for?

Just pushing children to compete for the highest paying jobs isn't enough. Many rich people are miserable, while those with less materially sleep well. In addition to facts and figures, our children also need to learn morality, generosity and how to care for others. Those are things that our school system doesn't really teach - nor should we expect it to. If you have certain morals and values, those are the ones that you would probably hope to pass on to your children. Much of what children need to become responsible adults has to learned at home.

As parents, we should also be involved with our children's class work. Be being involved and engaged, we can show that school really is for the child's benefit, and not just some place where they have to spend the better part of their day. Also, this give parents a chance to guide and direct the child's efforts. If your child can't see the reason to do well at math, show them the practical application. Teach them how to balance a checkbook or keep a budget. Show them that studying language is important so that they will be better able to express themselves.

There are many ways that we can show our children the practical value of education. But in order to do so, we, as parents, have to be completely involved in our child's total education - both at school and at home.