The Importance of Your Involvement In Your Child's Hobbies and School.

It is probably no surprise for you to hear that children who have parents that are involved in their activities are happier, healthier and are well-adjusted little beings. Generally they excel at their extra-curricular pursuits and from an educational point of view it has a direct positive influence on their overall academic achievement as it can also increase their cognitive development and keeps them motivated. Certainly one of the  major benefits is that this strengthens the parent-child relationship. In turn: it can help parents achieve a positive outlook on their parenting, increase their own self-confidence and self-esteem.

So where do you get involved? Life is so incredibly busy nowadays With busy schedules between home, work and school. And the days just seem to fly by. Don't you think?? It may sometimes feel you have little quality time to offer as you are trying to cram in so much every day. You are certainly not alone if you sometimes have that guilty feeling creeping up on you. However, different options and levels of commitment are available to fit every parent's availability, and with some careful planning and dedication, you can make it a positive experience for both yourself and your offspring.

The fact is: we only have 24 hours in the day and 7 days in a week. So by the time you are finished working, shopping, cleaning, cooking, you name it, there is a limited time available. So the advice I found really helpful was to choose wisely in what activity you get involved in. If it feels like a chore to you and not a lot of fun, it is probably not going to be great experience for either yourself or your children. So you could try and find out what your child is really passionate about. Maybe you've thought about volunteering for the school bake sale to raise money, but your child is actually more actively involved in her local Girl Scouts troop. If that is the case, then get together with the other Girl Scout parents and see what you can contribute to help the troop.  Maybe you could organise a bake sale to benefit their next summer outing. When you want to get involved, do it in something that your children are passionate about.  

Also it is a good idea to consider what skills, talents and abilities you can bring to the table.  Maybe your child's school is in desperate need of your help organising a fundraiser, but your skills in sewing and designing are amazing and it would serve the school better if you were to help in making the costumes for the school play. Remember: you want this to be a positive experience for both of you, because at the end of the day if your child senses that you're not happy with whatever you've chosen to become involved in, then they are likely not be happy as well. Let's mention as well that by choosing to put your talents to good use, you are leading by example and teaching your children to do the same.

The bottom line however is get involved and stay involved.  Children of involved parents are less likely to get into mischief, have far less emotional problems or problems in school.  You benefit by staying connected to your child.  It's a win-win situation for you both.

So what are your thoughts on this? Do you sometimes feel guilty because you feel not involved enough in your children's activities? Or do you know exactely how much involvement in activities you like and which ones to choose? Please comment in the comment below :)