Jamie works as a fourth-grade teacher at a school in New Jersey. Her student Charlie looks stressed out all the time, is visibly withdrawn, performs poorly in academics and sports, and is typically caught for his misbehavior. So, she asked for his parents to meet her. After numerous requests, they eventually met her, but now Jamie is more worried than ever about him. Charlie’s parents were clueless about what he is doing, his academic performance, the reasons behind his behavior, or his needs!

She could clearly see what Charlie needed and how all of this could be fixed with parental involvement, an important component required for a child’s development.1

What is Parental Involvement?

Pennsylvania PTA defines parent involvement as “the participation of parents in every facet of children’s education and development from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in children’s lives.”2

Simply put, this can include anything that involves you and your child. For instance:

  • Encouraging and helping your child when they struggle with math problems.
  • Watching and supporting a school play in which your child participates.
  • Praising them when they are kind to others.
  • Having conversations and discussions about various concepts, ranging from simple ones like colors and shapes to ones as complex as culture and language. 
  • Inquiring if they are okay when they sit alone and helping them deal with emotions like anger, disappointment, and sadness.
  • Asking leading questions when they have difficulty making a decision.
  • Using house rules and routines to enforce discipline without being harsh.

Why Parent Involvement is Important for a Child’s Development

A parent is a child’s first teacher and has a significant impact on their learning and development. The child can benefit greatly from parent involvement. Here are a few examples:3,4,5

  • Better Academic Outcomes: When you are involved in your child’s academic activities, it can help them understand that you care about their education. This can help them feel motivated, confident, and develop a positive attitude toward school and learning. Ultimately, this can help contribute to better academic outcomes.
  • Strong Social Relationships: When you have conversations about intricate socio-economic and cultural concepts, it promotes a sense of belonging and can help your child bond better and develop strong social relationships in school and community.
  • Improved Behavioral and Cognitive Skills: Playing games with rules, such as role play, riddles, and chess, can help improve your child’s behavioral and cognitive skills as they think, remember the rules, solve problems, and deal with losing and winning the game. 
  • Refined Personal and Interpersonal Skills: Educating and supporting  your child on how to deal with emotions such as anger, loneliness, and anxiety can help them understand their feelings, self-assess, decide, and act, which can help promote their personal growth. In the same way, participating in social activities in the community with your child can help foster interpersonal skills such as empathy and compassion, which can help them build stronger relationships with people around them in the future.

Disclaimer:  “The characters and events portrayed in this blog are fictitious. The information provided on this site is NOT medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, provide medical or behavioral advice, treat, prevent, or cure any disease, condition, or behavior. You should consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your child’s development to make a medical diagnosis, determine a treatment for a medical  condition, or obtain other related advice.” 

What are your thoughts on parent involvement, and how do you plan to get involved in your child’s activities? For more relevant information on parenting,  please visit BYJU’S FutureSchool blog.

References:

  1.  Uninvolved Parenting: Examples, Characteristics, Effects. (2021). Retrieved September 1, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-uninvolved-parenting-2794958 
  2. Parent Involvement / PTA & Parent Involvement. (n.d.). Retrieved September 1, 2022, from https://www.papta.org/domain/73 
  3. The parent connection – The British Psychological Society. (2017). Retrieved September 1, 2022, from https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/parent-connection 
  4. Tekin, A. K. (2011). Parent Involvement Revisited: Background, Theories, and Models. Retrieved September 1, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268079028_Parent_Involvement_Revisited_Background_Theories_and_Models 
  5. Lara, L., & Saracostti, M. (2019). Effect of parental involvement on children’s academic achievement in Chile. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(JUN), 1464. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01464/full
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