The term “helicopter parenting” can feel disparaging at first, after all, is it really a flaw to be active in your child’s education, to take an interest in their wellbeing at school, and to be involved in their development? Of course not. However, of course, constant hovering over your children, stifling independence and decision-making, and perhaps becoming too involved in the autonomy of your teacher’s guidance can be a problem.

Now, we’re not accusing you of this at all. Most parents strike a healthy balance, and being a little too interested is certainly miles better than being too uninvolved or uncaring. 

However, if you’re concerned, then it’s nice to know where the parameters are. In this post, we’re not going to tell you how much you can be involved in your own child’s education, or where to step away, or how to relate to your child’s school experience. That would be much too presumptuous. 

Instead, we’ll discuss some awesome measures new parents can take when supporting their children’s schooling and development:

Get Involved In Their Sports Team

Supporting your child’s team from the sidelines is a truly lovely effort, showcasing your interest in them doing well and contributing to the effort. You might also help by volunteering alongside the school coach,  donating to certain equipment fundraisers where appropriate, or helping in the administrative duties like helping with the team baseball lineup card as appropriate.

Attend All Theatre and Band Events

It’s always nice to support your child during their artistic efforts, be that during a year-end play, band recitals, or full on events they might get involved in, such as singing in a district choir. While it might be hard to get time off work, and that’s totally understandable, going to as many as you can will signify your support, and there’s nothing that will make you feel prouder.

Volunteer For School Trips Where Appropriate

Often, teachers look to parent contributions to help with school trips, as they require a certain amount of adults to chaperone children. This might mean just going along and helping out with your school trips, or it might mean helping out with the preparations, like assisting with the donation drive to make the trip happen in the first place. While this might not always be available – if offered, and if you have the time to give, it may be a great help, and allows you to get involved.

Offer Suggestions Through The Proper Forums

Often, schools will curate parent-teacher groups that allow you to give feedback where appropriate, to raise concerns, or to help with the planning and execution of certain events. In small local towns and beyond these parent-teacher unions can be tremendously helpful, and will allow you to get involved without being overbearing. In some cases, they can even help you make systemic changes to how the school plans certain events, such as planning the right location for the sports day, to prioritizing funding in certain areas based on popular demand and need.

With this advice, you’ll be sure to support your child’s school experience, without being intrusive.