NANA SAYS REPORT CARD TIME IS STRESSFUL FOR PARENTS

Everyone wants and thinks their child is brighter than the rest. The report card arrives and gives a reality check of one teacher's assessment of your child. So there are not all A's or excellent or however your school system grades your child. The gifted child at age 7 does not necessarily mean the same child will ace High School and be a college grad at age 16. There may be some social expectations that are not being met! Yes it is great to read early but the rest of the pack catches up eventually! The child that must study to get good grades actually learns how to learn and retain information. Learns how to work for what he/she gets1 Rather than expecting everything is just too easy and becomes bored at learing! Creating a home environment where the parents role model reading, studying and creative thinking is as important or more important than any classroom. Manners are taught at home! Reading out loud to your children! My girls had a principal that insisted all grades- yes even the Grade 8's -had the teachers reading out loud every day! Steven Spielberg stresses reading anything and everything as a way to spice up creative thinking! Back to the report card. Be proud the child received a C in a subject. Why? There is room for improvement and the chance to help that child get a C plus next time. Good grades in the early years do not mean the child is automatically Harvard material! A well rounded- academic, social, musical, emotional, spiritual, person is what we are aiming to raise. Ask any adult about the "smart people" around them! Are there any social inappropriateness? Ask the parent of a Special Needs child  when they celebrate the small milestones! As the parent you have the opportunity every day to work and Play with your child. Yes play! Play provides a world of opportunities for learning! Congratulate your child for the effort! Ask the parent of teenagers! If they went to school every day and did not skip- well that is a huge accomplishment!