An Alphabet for Parents

Throughout this book, we have been talking about helping our children develop as readers and writers as they explore the English language. We would like to leave you with an alphabet of your own to think about.

from NCTE's Parent to Parent: Our Children, Their Literacy:

Always ask her what went well at school today.

Boast about the good things he tells me.

Celebrate her mistakes because everybody learns from mistakes.

Do a diary together – recounting family gatherings, outings, letters, and messages.

Encourage him to be himself and to expect his very best.

Forget the adult worries and remember she's just a little girl.

Gather, go out, and get experiences galore! Out of doing comes learning.

Hug him often – at lease once every day (regardless of his size).

Invite her to be the greatest, happiest child in the world. Tell her that and treat her accordingly.

Join in when he's reading or studying, realizing that your actions speak louder than anything you can say.

Keep on learning yourself – all that you can see, do, and be – living life to its fullest.

Listen to her when she's troubled and laugh with her when she's joyous.

Make a difference in his days by mentioning that you really care.

Notice when her hair is combed (at least when she comes down for breakfast).

Offer him opportunities to decide things for himself – what to wear, when to do his chores; give him power over his life with all the risks that that entails.

Pin up his artwork, tests, writings, heroes, and photographs, for all the family to enjoy (call up Grandma sometimes to remind her of his latest accomplishments).

Question her teacher and her coaches often about how she feels she's doing at school and on her team.

Relax and enjoy childhood. Read to him often. Remember how fleeting are his childhood years.

Squeeze praise into every day's time slots. Save a private moment for sharing what she chooses to share.

Turn the TV off sometimes to talk together – at the dinner table, before he goes to bed, when he comes in from little league.

Use her talents to the fullest. So that she realizes that her presence makes a difference to others, let her take out the garbage, wash the dishes, cook, and help at church or in the community.

Volunteer when needed. Be that model of helpfulness in school, demonstrating that learning is his and your most important business.

Wait patiently for her. She may be a late bloomer, a deep thinker, a slow mover.

Xtra, extra, extra – that's what moms and dads are all about.

Yes, you are the one who counts. It's your values and strengths he will imitate.

Zoom ahead together in life, aware and confident that she is a unique gift to you.