You might think that for all the effort you put in at home, once your child heads to school you have little input into how your child is progressing academically. But that's not true.
In fact, it's quite the opposite. Learning begins - and ultimately - continues at home.
Lyn Kendall is a gifted child consultant at Mensa, the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. She works alongside whizz kids every day and so it seems obvious that she would know a thing or two about how they learn - and what parents can do to boost their brains.
Lyn has put together nine simple things parents should try out to give their children a solid foundation for learning new things.
1. Talk to them from an early age
Young children can understand a lot more than they can express and they develop language skills by listening to others around them. Our education system is based upon imparting knowledge using language so it makes sense that talking to them from the very start is key.
2. Listen to them
Everyone likes knowing that they are being listened to and children need to develop good listening skills to succeed in a classroom. You can model what they need to do by setting a good example.
3. Teach them how to fail
It's all right not to know everything and it's all right to get things wrong. If people were born knowing everything we wouldn't need schools.
4. If your child asks you a question answer it with a question
Having someone give you the answer teaches you nothing. Replies such as "tell me what you do know about that. How do you think we could find out? Why do we need to answer this question?" Will be of more benefit.
5. If you don't know, say so
We don't know everything and that's okay. But you should always follow up 'I don't know' with 'but I know how to find out'.
6. Swap knowledge and information with your child
Explain that what you learned at school is different to what they are learning now. That both are equally valid and interesting.
7. Make learning fun
Make learning at home as relevant to real life as possible. Children spend a lot of time in school. They need the opportunity to practise what they have been learning.
8. Moderation in all things is important
All study or all TV will not produce a child that loves learning. Variety is the spice of life. Keep learning varied.
9. Let children have experience of good and bad materials
Children learn to appreciate quality by experience and comparison.
