Middle Years Education in Manitoba: Improving Student Engagement

Helping Your Child Succeed

Provide your child with opportunities for more responsibility, freedom and choice.

  • Respect your child’s growing desire for independence and decision-making. Remember that young adolescents often act before thinking about the consequences. The area of the brain in charge of critical thinking and decision-making is still developing in your child.
  • Include your child in planning family activities. Let your child research and suggest places to go or things to see (ex: “We’re going as a family to the Forks for Canada Day. Could you please find out what shows are on the free stage so we don’t miss the ones we all want to see?”).
  • Encourage your child to plan, cook, serve and clean up independently after a meal for family or guests. Provide lots of encouragement and tell your child what you enjoyed about the meal (ex: “That salad was delicious. You can make that again any time.”).
  • Let your child choose chores and negotiate the times to do them. Give compliments when the chores are done.
  • Encourage your child to invite friends into your home, and make the effort to meet the parents of those friends.
  • Talk to your child about his or her interests and how they could lead to future opportunities (ex: “I notice you really like to work with tools. You might want to think about working on a dual diploma in your Senior Years [Grades 9 to 12], so you can learn woodworking and metalwork, along with academics.”)

“I've learned to pick my battles between negotiable and non-negotiable.”

~ Parent of Middle Years student

“I am not a perfect teenager, so please don't get too upset if I mess up every now and again.”

~ Middle Years student