Hands-on parenting helping kids, not money or location

KIDS with hands-on parents are more likely to succeed regardless of how much money they have or where they are brought up.

Leanne and Jason Mansfield are engaged in the lives of their children Lucy 10, Charlotte 15 and Chloe 13. Picture: Eugene Hyland

KIDS with hands-on parents are more likely to succeed regardless of how much money they have or where they are brought up.

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Reaching out to children, talking to them and helping them with their homework matters more than income or background, analysis from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth shows.

Students with engaged parents are more likely to do well academically, graduate from school and go on to higher education, an ARACY report by Dr Stacey Fox and Dr Anna Olsen from Australian National University has found.

The aspects which appear to matter most include high expectations and aspirations for children, shared reading between children and parents and family conversation.

In the report Drs Fox and Olsen say parent/child talking time is a simple but crucial form of parent engagement.

“There is emerging evidence suggesting it can have a strong influence on children’s cognitive skills, the value they place on learning and their enjoyment of learning,” they say.

Children also benefit when their parents provide a positive environment for homework and play a role in school activities.

“A sense of belonging to the school community and participation in school activities can indirectly impact children’s academic outcomes by conveying to children the extent to which parents’ value and support their education,” Drs Fox and Olsen say.

Anton Leschen, Victorian general manager at The Smith Family, said such research illustrates that “a child’s education is about more than what happens in the classroom”.

“It’s important for parents to know that they play a critical role in their child’s learning,” he said.

The Smith Family, which is co-hosting the Australian Parent Engagement conference in June, is looking for more sponsors to expand their Learning for Life program which helps disadvantaged parents support their children’s schooling.

“Anyone who is interested in becoming a sponsor to help a disadvantaged child thrive at school can visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au, “ Mr Leschen said.

Richmond parents Leanne and Jason Mansfield are very engaged in the school and sporting activities of their daughters Lucy, 10, Chloe, 13 and Charlotte, 15.

“We do all the school things like reading and homework with the girls,” Ms Mansfield, 47, a cancer nurse said.

“As a family we are very into sport and Jason and I have coached the girls’ netball and basketball teams. It’s important for the girls to know we care about what they do,” Ms Mansfield said.

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