Report Card Blues? Free & Easy Fixes

"Despite their good intentions, parents often overlook a few simple strategies that research has proven to impact children's academic success," says parenting expert and educational psychologist Michele Borba. "These science-backed solutions are things that every parent can do, they don't cost a dime, and they are proven to boost children's school success."

1. Make Mealtimes a Must.
If Hannah has soccer practice, you have PTA, and only half your kids will eat the meatloaf on tonight's menu, you may be tempted to forgo the nightly meal and let everyone fend for themselves. But Borba says to think twice before passing out the take-out menus. A recent study by Columbia University showed that kids whose families eat regular, relaxed meals together are not only less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, or develop eating disorders, but they are also more likely to achieve higher grades.

"Family dinners do not have to consist of gourmet, five-course meals," asserts Borba. "Serve simple, healthy meals, turn off the television and unplug the phone, and enjoy each other's company. It doesn't have to be complicated. And if everyone in your family is on a different schedule and can't make it to dinner—don't worry! Consider instating an evening family snack time during which everyone can review their days with each other before bedtime. The trick is to find what works best for your family and turn it into a routine."

2. Help Them Find Their Style.
Harvard researcher Howard Gardner's work shows that there are eight kinds of intelligences—or ways kids learn best: musical, spatial, logical-mathematical, linguistic, bodily, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalist. The trick, Borba says, is to pay attention to your kids so you can identify and tap into their learning styles.

"Help your child identify how he learns best, then find ways to use those strengths to boost learning success,” suggests Borba. "As his parent, you probably already know the answer… The trick here is to respect his learning style—whether it means needing background noise, color-coding spelling words, or needing to see and touch the things he is learning about. You may be surprised at how quickly he'll excel when he's allowed to learn things in his own way."

3. Redefine “Success.”
All parents want the very best for their kids. It's only natural! But if you think that your Ivy League aspirations are your child's only chance for success, Borba says it is time to think about changing your expectations. A survey by executive recruiter Spencer Stuart found that only 10 percent of CEOs steering Fortune 500 companies received an undergrad diploma from one of the pricey Ivy League schools. In fact, a Wall Street Journal review discovered that more than half of the CEOs of the 50 largest companies in the United States graduated from public colleges or universities.

"Every child is different," says Borba. "While it's okay to encourage them to try hard and achieve their best, it's also important to remember that 'the best' is different for every child. Just because your kid isn't composing his own symphonies or writing his memoirs by age 10, it doesn't mean that he won't still do great things with his life."

None of these tips require you to take out a second mortgage or get a second job. What they do require is your time, attention, and engagement. "If you want to boost your kid's academic performance and see lasting results, it will take a few things from you: consistency, dedication, and patience," concludes Borba. "Those things are always better parenting tools than anything money can buy. And remember that no two kids are the same, even if they come from the same household. If you pay attention to the individual needs of each child and do what's right for them and for you, you'll see the payoff in their attitudes and their report cards."

Michele Borba, Ed.D., is an educational psychologist, a former teacher and mom. She has authored 22 books, including The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries (Jossey-Bass/A Wiley Imprint, September 2009, ISBN: 978-0-7879-8831-9, $19.95).