Children need a routine that is designed to help them succeed in school. They need to get enough sleep, so they can awaken refreshed and ready to face the day. A nutritious breakfast and lunch will help them sustain the blood sugar levels that help them concentrate and get along with others. Although you may have heard this advice before, it is fundamental to your children's ability to do well in school. As a parent who volunteered when my kids were in elementary school, I've tutored many children who told me that they had nothing to eat for breakfast. Make homework time a regular part of your child's routine. This period should be well before bedtime, so your child still has the energy and focus to do his best. On days that your child does not have homework, use this as your connection time: read a story together, paint a picture or explore a fascination. Remind yourself that children need to learn how to learn. Knowing how to be a good student is a skill that is learned when caring adults take the time to teach children how to get organized, how to apply themselves and how to study. When I was in school, I was a straight-A student, not because I was particularly brilliant but because I used strategies that insured my success. Teach your children how to study, memorize facts, how to write a report and how to prepare for a class presentation. Celebrate your child's small successes together. Parenting guidelines: establish a strong, positive connection with your child's teacher. In today's world, you can communicate via phone and email. Some teachers even have a web site. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the school year and invite the teacher to call you should any concerns or issues arise. While it's easy to do this in elementary school, it's more difficult in middle school and high school where teachers have more students and less time. Most of today's school districts have online systems where parents can check their children's grades and easily communicate with teachers. Express interest in your child's school work and activities. Be aware of the projects he is working on, when homework is due and when big tests are coming up. Inspire your child to do the preparation work that will ensure success. At the same time, teach your child that a relaxed focus will allow him to perform at his best. In our home, we use a portable biofeedback tool that helps our children to achieve and maintain an optimal state of relaxed concentration, so they can train themselves to reach this on their own when they are faced with stress or are anxious about performing well on a test or in any other area of life. Although the device is a bit expensive, it is well worth the cost. A relaxed family makes for a happy home environment and excellence in all endeavors.