Encouraging children to attend college is a journey that starts early on. It may seem premature, but some of the most impactful efforts to encourage kids to go to college take place when they are just in elementary school. Whether your child is going into the first grade or the fourth, it’s never too early to start discussing the benefits of attending college.
Of course, simply setting expectations for your child is the first step to get them on the right track. However, parents can implement a number of other strategies to get their children interested in attending college, no matter how young.
The following tips help instill a love of learning and discovery in children of a young age. With these ideas in mind, parents can prepare their children to succeed in college later in life.
Prioritize Reading From An Early Age
It’s no secret that reading is an extremely powerful tool. It helps in opening children’s minds and helping them learn. The simple fact of being literate sets children up to succeed in a multitude of different settings. A love of reading benefits a child’s academic trajectory, their future career, and knowledge of the world around them. Luckily, reading is a passion that children can enjoy practically from the time that they are born.
A child who is in elementary school is at the prime age to enjoy the wonders that await in the public library.
Start by taking your child by the library a few times a week. Let them explore the children’s section while you pick out a few books for yourself. By setting an example for your child, you will help them become more comfortable choosing their own books. By teaching your child to love reading from a young age, they will have the resources to feed their growing curiosities as they get older.
Discuss College Openly
Yet another way to pique your child’s interest in college is to make it a regular topic of discussion. By integrating information about continued education into everyday conversation, your child will become familiar with the concept of college early on.
Even if you did not attend college yourself, you can talk about the variety of opportunities that college offers. Even at a young age, your child is likely already interested in topics like travel, animals, cooking, and more. Let them know that college offers endless opportunities to pursue these passions. Talk to them about having life-changing experiences. By making your child aware of college, they are more likely to include it in their plans for the future as they grow.
Offer Unwavering Support
Regardless of the child’s age, some of the most beneficial gifts that parents can offer are undying support and encouragement. Educating your child about college doesn’t just mean discussing Harvard and Yale at the dinner table. It also means impressing upon your child that hard work, dedication, and resilience are key factors to succeed in both academics and life.
By helping your child learn that their path may be challenging, but worth it, you are teaching them to pursue their dreams without fear of failure. Acting as a constant source of support, parents can empower their children every day.
With the right preparation and planning, college can be accessible to every child. Check out this list of easy scholarships that lessen the financial burden of the college experience. Here, you will find an extensive collection of easy-apply scholarships that make the long journey to college easier for both parents and children.
Encourage Regular Goal-Setting
Last but not least, one of the best ways to teach your child to apply themselves is to encourage goal-setting. Even from a young age, incorporating the practice of goal-setting into your child’s day-to-day life. It helps them understand that achievement requires hard work and dedication. Moreover, setting goals helps children understand that even if an aspiration initially seems out of reach, it can be met over time. For example, start with a simple goal like cleaning up before leaving a room, or preparing school materials each night before bed.
It has been said that nothing worth having comes easily. Goal-setting highlights the value of hard work and encourages children to shoot for the stars. From a young age, parents can set daily or weekly goals that are within their child’s reach. As children age, they will remember these habits and more easily integrate new goals into their daily life. Starting small helps children adopt the habit of goal-setting so that down the road, applying to their first-choice school doesn’t seem so intimidating.
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