Parental involvement is a key component in helping children succeed.

A combination of qualities and skills is required for children to be ready for school. These qualities and skills include social and emotional maturity, language skills, good health and physical well-being, problem-solving abilities, creative thinking skills and general knowledge about the world. Parents can play a large role in helping their children get ready for school.

Social and emotional skills and qualities children need at school include the ability to get along with other children and with adults. Additionally, they must be able to share attention with other children and adjust to a daily classroom routine.

Consider the following important traits:

• Curiosity. To get the most out of learning, children must be naturally curious.
• Cooperation. Children's learning to share, take turns and get along with others are critical to life success.
• Confidence. Children who feel good and believe in themselves are children who are willing to attempt new tasks and try again if they don't succeed the first time.
• Independence. Children should be able to do things for themselves.
• Persistence. Children must learn to finish what they start.
• Self-control. Children must learn that some behaviors are unacceptable and that there are good and bad ways to express anger.
• Empathy. Children must learn to have interest in others and understand how others feel.

Parents can help their children develop social and emotional maturity that will help them experience success in school.

Humans develop social and emotional maturity over the course of a lifetime. Parents, the first and most important teachers of children, can help provide opportunities for children to begin to develop these important life qualities.