We’re all familiar with a young child’s separation anxiety, especially when it comes to their first day at school. At this early age, kids need plenty of reassurance that their parents will always be there for them. Over time, this anxiety lessens. Children become accustomed to a certain degree of autonomy.

Once your child crosses over into school borders, teachers are responsible for the bulk of their instruction, and that takes a burden off your shoulders. But parents can’t afford to leave everything in a teacher’s hands, any more than a condo owner can afford to skip HO6 insurance. The master policy only covers the broad strokes; a further supplement is still needed for each sub-unit.

You have the opportunity to add nuance and fine-tune the details of your child’s entire learning experience. Here’s how your involvement can make a difference:

Partner with their teachers

Every child will spend several years going through the education system. This experience will have a massive influence on the rest of their lives. And in the long run, it can clock in as one of the bigger expenses you’ll have to cover.

In academic terms, young kids might not be learning anything more complicated than reading, writing, and arithmetic. But teachers shape a child’s learning environment and impart additional skills. Good teachers encourage a problem-solving attitude and the development of interpersonal skills. These attributes further enhance a child’s odds of success in the future.

Education is a significant investment, and the different teachers your child will have along the way are influential in its success. Thus, it’s vital to get to know them better, particularly during the formative years.

Treat them as partners who can tell you more about how your child is learning and growing. They can provide advice on how to address any problems or deficiencies. In turn, you can also voice your concerns and find out what the school is doing to improve. A healthy parent-teacher relationship will encourage constructive criticism and allow both sides to better contribute towards the common goal of helping your child to learn.

Help develop a growth mindset

When kids leave school, they don’t leave learning behind. Teachers give homework and assign further reading material for a reason. There are limits to what a child can learn during the time spent at school each day, and within each class period.

Doing homework and reading beyond what was covered in class don’t just help your child absorb the current course material. They form a core part of good study habits. When kids integrate these practices into their routines, they will consistently be among the top performers. They will carry an edge moving forward.

There’s a reason why people often observe that in life, success begets more success. Good habits create small but cumulative advantages. Children who study hard will find it easy to learn new things. They don’t feel overwhelmed as subjects get more complicated. Their performance leads to recognition. It increases their chances of getting into top schools and landing good jobs down the line.

Don’t handle a child’s homework or take over when they are having trouble with a lesson. Take the focus and pressure off achieving a specific result. Praise their effort and process instead. This will help them cultivate a growth mindset, which encourages them to put in the hard work and maintain the necessary attitude to succeed.

Teach them life skills

As your child’s first teacher, you doubtless know all about teaching them life skills. From lacing up their shoes, to giving them their first swimming lessons, and later on teaching them how to drive, this is the realm where parents take charge.

Nonetheless, certain life skills can be neglected. Communication is one example. Sure, kids get to socialize all day with their peers at school. But when they get home, do you allow them to spend more time in front of a screen than communicating with you and other family members? They could be following the example you set. How often do you find yourself fully engaged with a device in your hands when you’re around your child?

Revisit your responsibility in terms of teaching life skills to your child. Be their role model when it comes to meaningful, face-to-face communication as well as the emerging ethics of digital citizenship. Keep on looking for opportunities to teach other life skills you might have missed, such as organizing their own schedule or maintaining self-control.

Your child will learn many things in school, but there will always be lessons only you can teach as well as aspects teachers can miss. Get involved, and you can make a huge difference in the outcome of their learning.