Publisher's Note:

It’s back to school blues again! I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing  vacation. As I talked to some kids, some were excited to go back to school but majority of them want more play time. 

As parents, we want the best for our children and become successful in school. As a past educator at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos,  may I share two thoughts on how we can be of  help them.

1. Have that open communication between us parents and our children. Know what’s brewing in their minds. Develop that two-way communication. What I have discovered is that the best time for me to communicate with our son is when I drive him to school in the morning. We talk about getting excited for another day in school and give him that positive outlook towards his classes, friends, and teachers. When he gets home in the afternoon,  I ask what happened in school. Instead of asking a general question, I ask specific questions like “What did you learn in Math or Science?” That way, I can interact with him and can reinforce  what he learned by quizzing him. I’m sure you also have your own style of establishing a healthy interaction with your children. The bottom line is, keep  communication open.

2. Shower them with our unselfish support and guidance. When our children feel that we are always there for them, they have the feeling of security and confidence that will enable them to excel in school. These are just some ways to show our support for them: helping with homework, getting in touch with their teachers, volunteering in school, attending school activities or getting involved with the Parent Teachers Association, making sure they have a healthy breakfast, providing them with school supplies and many more.

Coupled with these are daily appreciation for genuine efforts and  celebrating with them their excellent achievements.

Considering that time is a precious commodity, let us give and spend quality time with our children. There’s no such thing as “I don’t have time” instead “Let’s make time for them.”

Aloha and Mabuhay!