REPORT CARD DAY

Do you remember 'dreading' Report Card Day?

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1991

Report Card Day!  Remember the anxiety of hoping your grades were good, if they weren’t, worrying what coaches, parents or even grandparents would say?

Oh the dreaded…YOU’RE GROUNDED until you pull your grades up, was the worst! Personally this typically meant ‘no social life’ and especially NO PHONE!  Granted my grades were pretty good to average but if my parents thought I could do better than what I’d done, they’d enforce a period of punishment, until my grade improved.  Honestly, it was for my own good, even if it seemed horrible at the time, because usually I was either not studying enough or lacked understanding of the subject.  Forcing me to focus more on my grades would make ask friends, teacher or my parents for help, whatever I had to do to get my grade up!  It was nice though, when I was confident my grades were ‘good’!  I wasn’t necessarily rewarded with money, gifts or an event to attend but that was okay!  Knowing I earned my grades, avoided a lecture or getting GROUNDED, was a great reward!  Do you remember those days?

Today, is REPORT CARD DAY for our students in Cheatham County!  Praise them for a job well done, punish if you must if grades aren’t acceptable but remember to ask how you can help them raise their grades, get tutoring or motivate them to focus on studying more, even if that means ‘removing distractions’ such as cell phones!  I know its hard and no one likes punishing their child, the guilt that follows or the upset child who wants to stay in their room, have nothing to do with you and possibly crying is hard on parents!  Been here, still here sometimes but the moment passes relatively quickly, sometimes after only a few minutes. The saying ‘it hurts me to punish you’ – oh there are no truer words for a parent!

If grades are lower than expected they could be overwhelmed or don't understand the material.
If grades are lower than expected they could be overwhelmed or don’t understand the material.

Many children’s self-esteem is connected to their grade averages but not all students learn the same.  On REPORT CARD DAY let them explain why they believe they got the grade they received, encouraging them or try understanding why they ‘just weren’t getting it’ can go a long way in building their self-esteem, the relationship with your child and the your child’s confidence to come to you when they’re worried.

Worried about your child’s grades, attitudes, self-esteem, etc… don’t hesitate to contact their teachers, coaches or after school director in charge of their care.   Open lines of communication between parents, teachers, students, counselors and coaches is the number one thing parents and students can do to motivate, inspire and help students avoid the ‘oh so stressful’ – REPORT CARD DAY and unexpected grades!

First Report Card of the year is Today!  Only three more to go before another year has passed us all by and before you know it…your facing the last few months before HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION!  Yes, I’m there for the second time and let me tell you, I’m not ready but that’s another story for another day…I don’t feel like getting overly emotional right now!  Okay…back to the topic of REPORT CARD DAY!

ice-cream
Go for Ice Cream on Report Card Day!

ICE CREAM on Report Card Day whether it’s to discuss what’s going with their grades, before dishing out ‘punishment’ or ‘grounding’, or to celebrate good grades, is a great way to connect with your child!  So PARENT(s) or GRANDPARENT(s) go for the ice-cream! You know, REPORT CARD DAY can be stressful for us parents and grandparents too!  If they don’t like ice-cream or can’t have it for dietary reason, any favorite shared treat is great!

Don’t forget to ask them about there REPORT CARD, not all teachers require a signature from parents since the grades can be seen and followed on SKYWARD through the school systems website, which is a great way to communicate with teachers.  If you don’t have the password to access SKYWARD contact your child’s school and they can help get you connected!

Learn more about SKYWARD, upcoming events, school calendar and information on SKYWARD, district school phone numbers, access to teachers and counselors e-mails and more at www.cheathamcountyschools.net.

Hmmm….I wonder if Golly G’s in Pleasant View or the Sonic’s throughout the county would offer half-price ice cream on Report Card Day?  I think I’ll ask them…be watching, I’ll let you know before the next REPORT CARD DAY!

-Tonya Steele