Every parent wants their child to succeed at school, be it primary school, high school, or university; a child’s accomplishments bring pride to a parent like none other. As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important mentor and teacher. Just admitting your child to one of the best primary schools in Riyadh does not suffice; parents’ involvement is crucial to their success. Many types of research have shown that the involvement of parents is more important to their child’s success than how much money they can spend on the child or how educated they are. 

Here are a few ways parents can help children succeed at primary school.

Establish a relationship with your child’s school staff and teachers

• Once you have enrolled your child in an excellent primary school in Riyadh, find the next best opportunity to meet your child’s teacher. Get involved in your child’s learning and success at school. The teacher should know that you are approachable and can be contacted if they need to discuss any problems related to your child. 
• Make an effort to know who has what responsibility at your child’s primary school. Numerous people at your child’s school will be responsible for social, educational, and emotional growth. Get familiarized with the school personnel and their role in shaping your child. 
• Be regular at parent-teacher conferences to stay in touch with your child’s progress and teachers. This will help you gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses and plan the next steps for their learning. If there is a pressing concern, you can always reach out to your child’s teacher and make an appointment face-to-face. 

Offer academic support to your child

• Find out from teachers how your child is performing in class compared to other students. If your child has trouble keeping up, especially in certain areas, seek help from the school about what can be done to provide your child with the extra help they need. 
• If you feel your child has a learning disability or requires extra attention, ask the school for the same. 
• Ensure that your child is completing their homework on time. If your child is attending IB classes, they need to realize that studying and revision each day is way more effective than cramming up at the last minute. 
• Help your child study better by setting a regular time daily to study, creating a special place to study, and alleviating distractions such as phone calls, television, etc., during study time. 
• You can show interest by inquiring if they need extra help, checking the daily assignment progress, and praising your child’s effort. Never do your child’s homework for them, as that adversely impacts them in the long run. 
• If your child needs help with after-school assignments, projects, and homework, see if you can find external help. The school has after-school programs and tutoring groups; alternatively, see if a senior from school or a neighbor can help your child. 
• Help your child prepare for upcoming exams and tests. Tests are vital in determining a student’s success at school. Ensure that your child spends adequate time on test preparation and taking standardized tests to augment their effort.

Be sufficiently involved with your child’s primary school

• Acquaint yourself with the school’s offerings and review any information the school sends home. Talk to the school and other parents to learn more about the programs the school offers, such as sports coaching, after-school activities, music program, or extra classes your child would be keen on pursuing. 
• Actively volunteer at your child’s school because teachers highly appreciate it when parents help out with activities at the school! There are numerous ways a parent can contribute, either by volunteering in a school event, the library, or a child’s class. Regular meetings with teachers and other parents provide an avenue to discuss problems and work together to improve the school. 

Support learning at home

• Establish a positive attitude towards education with your child. The child views a parent as a mentor, and what you say or do highly impacts their decisions and outlook. They need to know that you value and leverage education in your daily lives. 
• Showing interest in your child’s education can spark enthusiasm and lead them to believe that learning is enjoyable and rewarding, making an effort worthwhile. 
• Monitor what your child does at home. Things like time spent on video games, the internet, and television, along with the content being consumed, should be known by you and monitored. 
• Please encourage your child to become a reader, as it is one of the essential skills to help the child succeed in school and their professional life. 

Talk with your child

• Last but not least, you need to talk to your child and listen to them, as that is paramount to their success at school. Encourage your child to talk about their problems and issues at school, then try and find a solution together. 
• At the same time, help them develop the habit of listening attentively. Talking helps solve problems, addresses areas of improvement, and helps children develop conversation skills.