Parents, you are the education center for your child.

Let’s just break the ice here. How does that sentence, or even just the phrase “education center,” make you feel inside?

  • Squeamish?
  • Unsure?
  • Confident?
  • Suspicious?
  • Defeated?
  • Overwhelmed?

At Learnwell, it is not our desire to make parents feel guilt, shame, or anything other than encouraged about their parenting. Anyone who is a parent knows that once you become a parent, all bets are off.

Everything you said you wouldn’t do (before becoming a parent) is back on the table. And all the things you promised yourself you would change, skip, or definitely do are now negotiables based on your time, your season of life, your career, your extended family commitments, how supportive your friends are, etc.

So — of course — we are not going to overwhelm you with a list of all the things you need to do because you are your child’s education center. But we are going to help you.

All intentional parents want to stay engaged in their children’s lives. We want to know who they are, show them that we see them, and equip them to become healthy adults.

education center

Being the education center for your child means you are the No. 1 influencer in his or her life.

How?

Research supports that parents who are engaged in their child’s education have strong relationships with their children. We also know that when parents are active in their children’s education, students benefit in a variety of ways. They tend to get higher grades, make beneficial behavioral choices, and become motivated high-achievers inside and outside the classroom.

So why do we think parents are the education center for their children?

1. Education begins at home.

Whether your child attends public, private, hybrid, or homeschool, parents have the greatest influence on developing a learner-friendly environment at home. Home should be a place that fosters curiosity, a willingness to learn new things, and the freedom to fail. When we are curious enough to look up a word or teach ourselves a new computer program, it shows that learning is a life skill — not just a school requirement.

If our child is given multiple chances and allowed to not “get it right” with compassion, we communicate that learning is a process and failure is an important, normal part of that process.

2. Educational excellence is modeled and caught more than it is taught.

The easy way to approach education is to, first, drop your child off at school. Next, you check to see that he or she has done the homework that evening. And later, you attend a quarterly conference with your child’s teacher.

However, education that is excellent isn’t just taught in the classroom — it’s modeled inside and outside of school. When your child wants to learn how to drive, he is motivated. He learns by watching you, participating, and listening to your instruction. So let’s not assume that a textbook and a teacher will be the central driving force in our child’s capacity — and willingness — to learn.

3. Parents’ engagement in their child’s education strengthens family relationships and mental health.

Mental health is a huge concern for parents and educators at every level. Studies have shown that when parents engage intentionally with their child — not just at their child — about education, a bond of trust is strengthened. This, then, helps to equip your child to cope with questions and doubts, overcome trials, and ask for your help when he or she is struggling. A more engaged parent in education is a more intentional parent.

Resources To Equip You

Here are some of our favorite resources that encourage excellent education and intentional parenting. We hope you’ll find these helpful.

Books We’re Reading

Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population

Family Together Ideas

Imaginative Crafts that Families Can Do Together by How Stuff Works

Find more resources by following us on Instagram. 

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  1. Who did you share the article with?
  2. What is something you struggle with when trying to engage in your child’s education?