The GRF Parent Support Team is a district-wide group of parents, teachers, and administrators working together t o support the parents and students of GRF with mentorship, resources, and family events.
Being more organized/responsible helps a student…
- feel more capable and less stressed.
- create strong routines that help them feel safe and secure.
- work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.
- develop life skills for success!
Parenting Tips for helping a student be more responsible/organized…
- If your student SEES something, they are more likely to REMEMBER it. Use checklists, sticky notes, school planners, phone reminders, or even an app (Remember the Milk is a free to-do list app for older students).
- Keep it simple.
- Work WITH your student–as a team–to develop a plan.
- Show your student ways that you organize your own life or use the skill of responsibility.
- For Junior High/High School students, ask:
- What are your ideas to be more responsible/organized?
- How can I support you on this goal?
Pine Crest Elementary Daily Checklists
Mary Miller Junior High Daily Checklists
GRF HIGH SCHOOL
You can use the resources below for ANY Word of the Month for your high school student to spark discussion and guide your student in setting goals and creating action steps towards their goals.
- Try their idea for a week and meet again to discuss.
- See if any changes need to be made.
- Compliment even the smallest improvements.
- Make a new plan as needed
WORD OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION GUIDE
Learning to be honest helps a student…
- recognize that everyone makes mistakes.
- take responsibility for their mistakes and find ways to make things right.
- grow in becoming a person of integrity and someone that others can trust.
- work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.
Parenting Tips for helping a student be more honest…
- create a safe place for your student to make mistakes.
- stay calm and teach them what to do when they make a mistake (see the 4 A’s resource).
- talk about honesty together and share how you show honesty.
- thank your child anytime they show honesty.
Healthy boundaries help a student…
- feel safe, secure, and loved.
- respect authority and learn to trust others.
- make choices that honor their health, safety, and character.
- work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.
Parenting Tips for setting healthy boundaries…
- set boundaries around your student’s health, safety, and character and let other things go.
- use boundaries to teach—“This is why this boundary is good for you.”
- use boundary-setters (see resource) to create less conflict.
- for junior high/high school students—work as a team to create healthy boundaries that you ALL agree on.
Close, positive connections to a parent/guardian helps a student…
- feel safe, secure, loved, and valued.
- build more respect for their parent/guardian and be more willing to follow the parent/guardian’s boundaries.
- develop a healthier self-esteem and feel more capable to learn and try new things.
- work as a better team with parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, teachers, etc.
Parenting Tips for connecting with your student…
- Spend time with your student one-on-one and as a family as often as possible.
- Find what works for you and your family.
- Make connecting a priority—put in on your calendar, set reminders on your phone, etc.
6 PHYSICAL WAYS TO CONNECT WITH KIDS
CONNECTION IDEAS FOR THE BUSY PARENT
Learning compassion helps a student…
- understand the needs of others.
- learn to show empathy to someone else’s feelings or situation.
- gain a better understand of themselves and their own needs.
- have healthier relationships.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student to have more compassion…
- show compassion towards others (including your student).
- give your student opportunities to serve others in their school or community.
Learning how to find courage helps a student…
- gain confidence to try new things.
- learn how to overcome challenges in life.
Parenting tips for teaching your student to be more courageous…
- give them positive quotes to say like “I think I can…I think I can.”
- let them know you believe in them, but you’re also there to support them: “I believe in you, but if you need my help, I’m here for you!”
- give them opportunities to try new things…fail…and try again.
4 QUOTES TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN FIND COURAGE
Learning about justice helps a student…
- recognize the need for every human to have equal rights and to be respected.
- seek peace instead of conflict.
- work as a team with all people.
- understand their own needs and communicate them respectfully.
- find ways to serve others and make the world a better place for everyone.
Parenting tips for teaching your student about justice…
- find ways to serve others in the community together (be a voice for others who may be overlooked or ignored).
- brainstorm ideas with your student on how your family can make the world a better place.
- treat everyone with respect.
- solve any conflict with a peaceful discussion.
- if your student feels something is unfair, listen to your student’s side and find a compromise you both agree on.
4 STEPS TO GUIDE CHILDREN TO SHOW JUSTICE FOR ALL
Learning about kindness helps a student…
- increase their awareness of their words and actions.
- recognize the power they have to end bullying by being kind instead.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student about kindness…
- Model kindness and speak kindly to your student and to others.
- Make kindness a family rule/expectation (and post it where your student can see it).
- Talk about kindness and thank your student anytime they are kind.
- If you or your student don’t do or say something kind the first time, do a “rewind” and try it again.
Learning about appreciation helps a student…
- “See the good…say the good” about themselves and others.
- View challenges in life as opportunities to learn.
- Have a more positive outlook and growth mindset.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student about appreciation…
- Show your student appreciation by thanking them for a job well done or for simply just being who they are!
- “See the good…say the good” about yourself and others.
- Use words of appreciation like “thank you”, “grateful”, “blessed”.
Learning about citizenship helps a student…
- gain a sense of belonging within their home, school, community, country, and even in the world.
- find purpose in serving others and making their world a better place.
- grow in integrity, respect, and teamwork.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student about good citizenship…
- model good citizenship by respecting yourself and others.
- provide opportunities for your student to serve others—starting at home and moving to the neighborhood, school, community, and country.
- teach what integrity truly means—doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
Click to download 3 Keys to Good Citizenship–A Parent’s Guide
Learning to be confident helps a student…
- gain decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- develop a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
- build resilience and healthy coping skills to overcome challenges and hardships.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student to be confident…
- provide opportunities to try again and get things right.
- help your student build the skills they are good at and practice things they aren’t.
- guide your student in learning from their mistakes and empowering them with skills to make improvements for next time.
Click to Download 7 Ways to Build a Child’s Confidence
Learning to have Hope helps a student…
- develop a sense of optimism.
- build healthy coping strategies to get through hard times.
- understand that their positive attitude toward a situation or circumstance can give them power over it.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student to be hopeful…
- model hopefulness and share about a hard time that you got through.
- provide a safe place for your student to share their feelings and show them empathy.
- empower your student to see what an amazing problem-solver they are and that no problem is too big for them to find a solution to overcome it.
How to Help Your Child Find Hope
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), bullying is defined as: form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort.
Bullying is intentional and repeated over and over again. It’s important to understand that a child who chooses to bully or a child who becomes a victim to bullying highlights many concerns in our children. It can show that our kids…
- Lack self-confidence and self-esteem.
- Lack tools to be assertive and speak up for themselves and what they believe in.
- Lack a sense of belonging in their home, school, or community.
- Lack the skills to speak or act with kindness and respect to others.
Parenting Tips for help a child who is being bullied…
- Show empathy to your child’s feelings. Hug them and show that you understand and that it’s NOT ok that anyone is treating them disrespectfully.
- Empower them with tools to solve the problem. It is very important that children who are being bullied understand that they have POWER over the situation and can take some steps to find a solution. Brainstorm ideas together and take action.
- Spend time with your child and have fun together. Tell them every day how much you love them.
- Encourage them in their strengths and “See the good and say the good” about them every day.
Parenting Tips for help a child who is bullying…
- Coach them on kind and respectful ways to talk to others in-person and online.
- Model kindness and respect at home.
- Spend time with your child and have fun together. They need to know that they belong at home and in your family. They need to know that no matter what mistakes they make, they are loved.
- Build empathy skills by having them serve others in the community.
Anxiety is a common, yet complicated disorder in children and it can come out in a variety of ways, such as:
- Anger and aggression
- Trouble focusing
- ADD/ADHD-like symptoms
- avoiding things like school and social events
- isolation
- substance use
Parenting Tips for help a child with anxiety…
- Show empathy. It’s important that our children know that we understand and that we are there to support them through any anxiety symptoms.
- Empower them with tools. It’s also important that our children know that they can have POWER over their anxiety. Anxiety is something outside of who they are and they can take steps to have control over it (like deep breathing, exercising, being outside, eating healthy, saying positive affirmations, decreasing technology use, being less busy, etc.)
- Spending time with your child—laughing, reading, talking, walking, playing, and having fun–can reduce their anxiety symptoms.
- Have a strong routine for child’s day—including eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and spending time as a family. Checklists can be super helpful.
- It’s OK to get outside help to discuss counseling or medication options—talk to your child’s pediatrician, school social worker or counselor, teacher, etc. to gain more information on how to support your child.
Learning to complete Homework on their own helps a student…
- develop a sense of responsibility and self-discipline.
- build life skills for completing tasks and staying organized.
- keep up with their learning and improve their understanding of the material covered in class.
- improve their grades and opportunities for future success.
Parenting Tips for teaching your student to be complete their homework…
- Have strong routines where homework is completed at a certain time and place. A Daily Checklist can be helpful.
- Set firm boundaries that there is no free time–especially no TV, video games, phone usage, etc.—until homework (or checklist) is completed. Use “When/Then”: ”When your homework (checklist) is done, then you can have free time.”
- Let them do their homework on their own. Encourage them to be good problem-solvers and figure out what to do and then you can help them if they need it.
- Stay connected and have fun with your child. Homework is not more important that your relationship with them.
Having a higher self-esteem helps a student…
- be more confident in their decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
- stay focused and accomplish their goals in life (including getting better grades in school).
- develop healthier relationships.
- improve their physical and mental health.
Parenting Tips for increasing your student’s self-esteem…
- Encourage them daily on their strengths and their good character traits–“See the good…say the good.”
- Guide them on coming up with a plan to overcome challenges.
- Help them set goals for their life and stay focused on accomplishing their goals.
- Spend quality time with them every day.
- Talk positively about yourself.
- Do self-esteem building activities as a family. (see below for examples)