The GRF Parent Support Team is a district-wide group of parents, teachers, and administrators working together to support the parents and students of GRF with mentorship, resources, and family events.

Being more organized/responsible helps a student…

• Feel more capable and less stressed.

• Create strong routines that help them feel safe and secure.

• Work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.

• Develop life skills for success!

Parenting Tips for helping a student be more responsible/organized…

• If your student SEES something, they are more likely to REMEMBER it. Use checklists, sticky notes, school planners, phone reminders, or even an app (Remember the Milk is a free to-do list app for older students).

• Keep it simple.

• Work WITH your student–as a team–to develop a plan.

• Show your student ways that you organize your own life or use the skill of responsibility.

• For Junior High/High School students, ask:

  • What are your ideas to be more responsible/organized?

  • How can I support you on this goal?

Healthy boundaries help a student…

• Feel safe, secure, and loved.

• Respect authority and learn to trust others.

• Make choices that honor their health, safety, and character.

• Work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.

Parenting Tips for setting healthy boundaries…

• Set boundaries around your student’s health, safety, and character and let other things go.

• Use boundaries to teach—“This is why this boundary is good for you.”

• Use boundary-setters (see resource) to create less conflict.

• For junior high/high school students—work as a team to create healthy boundaries that you ALL agree on.

Close, positive connections to a parent/guardian helps a student…

• Feel safe, secure, loved, and valued.

• Build more respect for their parent/guardian and be more willing to follow the parent/guardian’s boundaries.

• Develop a healthier self-esteem and feel more capable to learn and try new things.

• Work as a better team with parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, teachers, etc.

Parenting Tips for connecting with your student…

• Spend time with your student one-on-one and as a family as often as possible.

• Find what works for you and your family.

• Make connecting a priority—put in on your calendar, set reminders on your phone, etc.

Learning to be honest helps a student…

• Recognize that everyone makes mistakes.

• Take responsibility for their mistakes and find ways to make things right.

• Grow in becoming a person of integrity and someone that others can trust.

• Work as a better team with their parent(s)/guardian(s), friends, classmates, teachers, administrators, etc.

Parenting Tips for helping a student be more honest…

• Create a safe place for your student to make mistakes.

• Stay calm and teach them what to do when they make a mistake (see the 4 A’s resource).

• Talk about honesty together and share how you show honesty.

• Thank your child anytime they show honesty.

Learning compassion helps a student…

• Understand the needs of others.

• Learn to show empathy to someone else’s feelings or situation.

• Gain a better understand of themselves and their own needs.

• Have healthier relationships.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student to have more compassion…

• Show compassion towards others (including your student).

• Give your student opportunities to serve others in their school or community.

Learning how to find courage helps a student…

• Gain confidence to try new things.

• Learn how to overcome challenges in life.

Parenting tips for teaching your student to be more courageous…

• Give them positive quotes to say like “I think I can…I think I can.”

• Let them know you believe in them, but you’re also there to support them: “I believe in you, but if you need my help, I’m here for you!”

• Give them opportunities to try new things…fail…and try again.

Learning about justice helps a student…

• Recognize the need for every human to have equal rights and to be respected.

• Seek peace instead of conflict.

• Work as a team with all people.

• Understand their own needs and communicate them respectfully.

• Find ways to serve others and make the world a better place for everyone.

Parenting tips for teaching your student about justice…

• Find ways to serve others in the community together (be a voice for others who may be overlooked or ignored).

• Brainstorm ideas with your student on how your family can make the world a better place.

• Treat everyone with respect.

• Solve any conflict with a peaceful discussion.

• If your student feels something is unfair, listen to your student’s side and find a compromise you both agree on.

Learning about kindness helps a student…

• Increase their awareness of their words and actions.

• Recognize the power they have to end bullying by being kind instead.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student about kindness…

• Model kindness and speak kindly to your student and to others.

• Make kindness a family rule/expectation (and post it where your student can see it).

• Talk about kindness and thank your student anytime they are kind.

• If you or your student don’t do or say something kind the first time, do a “rewind” and try it again.

Learning about appreciation helps a student:

• “See the good…say the good” about themselves and others.

• View challenges in life as opportunities to learn.

• Have a more positive outlook and growth mindset.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student about appreciation…

• Show your student appreciation by thanking them for a job well done or for simply just being who they are!

• “See the good…say the good” about yourself and others.

• Use words of appreciation like “thank you”, “grateful”, “blessed”.

Learning about citizenship helps a student…

• Gain a sense of belonging within their home, school, community, country, and even in the world.

• Find purpose in serving others and making their world a better place.

• Grow in integrity, respect, and teamwork.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student about good citizenship…

• Model good citizenship by respecting yourself and others.

• Provide opportunities for your student to serve others—starting at home and moving to the neighborhood, school, community, and country.

• Teach what integrity truly means—doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Learning to have Hope helps a student…

• Develop a sense of optimism.

• Build healthy coping strategies to get through hard times.

• Understand that their positive attitude toward a situation or circumstance can give them power over it.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student to be hopeful…

• Model hopefulness and share about a hard time that you got through.

• Provide a safe place for your student to share their feelings and show them empathy.

• Empower your student to see what an amazing problem-solver they are and that no problem is too big for them to find a solution to overcome it.

Learning to be confident helps a student…

• Gain decision-making and problem-solving skills.

• Develop a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

• Build resilience and healthy coping skills to overcome challenges and hardships.

Parenting Tips for teaching your student to be confident…

• Provide opportunities to try again and get things right.

• Help your student build the skills they are good at and practice things they aren’t.

• Guide your student in learning from their mistakes and empowering them with skills to make improvements for next time.