Some advice to parents as school year begins

Dear Parents: A new and exciting school year has started for your children. I am certain that you as parents look forward to watching your children develop and grow intellectually, socially and physically.

Hopefully, with the weight of these enormous changes, your children will have, and, with the responsibility attached to it, you will become supportive partners with your children’s educational institution.

Leading this huge undertaking is the classroom teacher. These dedicated and hardworking people spend enormous amount of their professional and personal time working out strategies and goals for your children. Often, many of the educational materials are purchased out of their personal budgets.

They are faced with the educational responsibility of upwards of 20 students for at least six hours a day.

Safety, is another responsibility the collective staff in the school environment have for all the students. I hope that, as parents, you will respect these leaders by supporting them with your expressed attitudes in your home.

Remind your children of the importance of the golden rule — treat others as you would like to be treated in return.

Encourage them to take responsibility, in part, for their own learning. This responsibility comes in the form of respecting the learning environment with positive contributions that benefit everyone in the class.

As the ultimate person responsible for your child, reinforce the importance of completing homework assignment. And just as important, being a kind contributor to the learning environment .

A wise women once told me that you as parents are not the only ones who have to like your children.

I believe these simple suggestions will help your children learn the ropes of life, which, ultimately, take them on the path of healthy independence and stronger self-esteem.

My many years working in the educational system as teacher and counsellor has reinforced that not much has changed with children. They want to succeed in school and they want to be part of their peer environment.

You as parents, can help them navigate life lessons by modelling the strong work and personal responsibility that everyone has toward themselves and the collective environment.

I take off my hat to teachers. They bravely take on the responsibility of guiding your children over the 10 month duration of the school year. Patricia Toma, Kelowna