Education

The first people responsible for a child are his parents. From birth until he becomes an adult, the role of parents in a child's life is essential for his development and success in life. Do parents have to get involved in the education of their children? The answer is certainly yes. However, the important thing is to know what are the advantages of parents’ involvement in their children’s studies?

Many studies have looked at the effects of parental involvement in the academic development of their children. They have all proven that the involvement of parents is beneficial for the child. Children whose parents are involved in their studies have better academic results and are more successful. This is explained by the fact that the child knows that he is not alone and that his parents also expect good results from him.

If I refer to my experience, the children who are the most regular in school are those whose parents are strongly involved in their studies. Indeed, each school day is important for these parents and they do not want their child to be absent deliberately. Children also learn to value school days and know that it is important to be present in the classroom.

Children who are supported by their parents in their studies develop social skills. Why? Well, these children have more confidence in themselves and can more easily relate to others. They are more open to making new friends. If I take my son as an example, my wife and I are very involved in his school life. We see that he likes to make friends and talks regularly about them.

When parents get involved in their children's studies, it results in a better adaptation of the child to school life. The child also most often behaves very well at school. Undisciplined children are very often those whose parents do not care about their studies. My experience allows me to confirm this. Both in Canada and in my country of origin, Haiti, I see that the most parents are involved with children, the better they behave in class. Parenting is therefore important for school discipline.

Finally, school board must encourage the involvement of parents in the academic development of their children. The Ontario Ministry of Education places great emphasis on parental involvement in student studies. School board, principals, teachers and parents are partners who all care about the well-being and success of children. Ontario schools have a parent council that participates in pre-school activities and can also question the school on matters related to the well-being of children.

When parents involve in their children’s education, children are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school. Board school and teachers should always encourage parents to get involve in their children’s education.