As a parent, educator, or another role model, one of your top priorities is supporting your student in all areas of their life. Perhaps most importantly, you want to support them through school itself. In the classroom, during homework, and through other such responsibilities, there’s a lot for a little one to learn. With the right support from the adults around them, those lessons can occur more easily, helping their future to be brighter even at an early age.
Set them up for success.
Whatever your role in a student’s life and wherever they are in their lifetime, there’s surely some way you can help to set them up for success. A parent of a soon-to-be graduate, for example, might browse refurbished electronics stores in search of a laptop or tablet that will take them from college applicant to college graduate.
An aunt or uncle might talk to their sibling about purchasing their niblings’ first smartphone, in a similar sense, preparing them for a successful social life in high school and beyond. Whether it’s brand-new or refurbished electronics (with a guaranteed warranty, of course), or another sort of support entirely, having the right tools and resources at their disposal is critical to your student’s success.
Prepare them well.
Of course, supplies alone won’t be enough to set your student up for success in the long term. It’s just as crucial that they have the knowledge and information necessary to succeed in the modern world. Consider, for instance, how few students learn the intricacies of their credit score while moving through the U.S. or international school systems.
If your child is one of them (and they most likely will be), work with them to build their understanding of what constitutes responsible use of a credit card, what they can do to build a positive credit history, and how to find the best credit cards for students in Canada (or your relevant country). As they move through school and beyond, the day will come where Mom and Dad don’t pay for their every need anymore—knowing how to choose the best credit card or earn a higher credit limit can help your student become a thriving, functional adult.
Get to know them better.
As you support your favorite student through understanding the annual fee from their credit card issuer or finding a new desktop for less than the hefty price it retails for, they’re sure to meet a few stumbling blocks. Whether you’re a teacher helping them understand how a bank account works or a parent explaining how to deal with the grocery store’s customer service department, knowing them beyond the lesson at hand can make your job much easier.
You might compare their credit report to video game stats, referencing their favorite franchise, or show them an iPhone app that will make “adulting” a simpler, less intimidating prospect. Much like personalized learning in the classroom, you can frame a real-life lesson in terms of the student’s interests, making the topic easier for you to convey and for them to understand.
For a student, school is a crucial component of their day-to-day life. Their friends are largely dictated by who they encounter in the classroom and their future rests largely on their educational performance. Outside of the classroom, too, a child becomes a student.
Whether it’s a teen understanding the perks and risks of their new credit card or a youngster exploring their first cell phone, lessons don’t end when the bell rings at the end of a school day—they’re just getting started. With the proper support behind them, your favorite student can thrive both in and out of the classroom as they prepare for a lifetime of success.
