Your 6-Year-Old: Parent-teacher conferences

Parent-teacher conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are terrific opportunities to get a handle on how your child spends her day and is faring academically. At this age, learning about her social and emotional progress is just as important, so make sure that these topics are covered. Bring them up even if the teacher doesn't. Time can be tight in a conference, so write down your own burning issues before you walk in and see that they're covered.
這在台灣應該就像是「親師會」吧！苡馨小學的親師會已經在3月初開過了，但時間有限，很可惜無法與老師好好聊小馨在學校的狀況。
Your 6-year-old now

You have many years of parent-teacher conferences ahead. So it's useful to know how to get the most out of these meetings.
以下提供一些小tips，關於參加親師會：

Before your conference, talk to your child. Ask what she likes and dislikes about school. Ask what she thinks her teacher will say about her. If she complains that he's always on her case for talking too much, you won't be blindsided if it's brought up. Ask her why the teacher thinks that.
在親師會前，先跟孩子談談看，他喜歡或不喜歡學校的哪一部份，也問問她，覺得老師會怎麼說她，讓自己心裡先有個準備。

Prioritize your questions. Get the important issues out of the way first since you have limited time. School is about more than academics, so inquire about how your child manages socially and emotionally. Let the teacher in on anything going on at home that could affect your child at school.
將問題優先順序列出來，學校不只是學習課業知識的地方，也要問問老師小孩的社交與情緒表現如何。
如果老師真的認為有問題，不要先入為主辯解，如果你的小孩表現不好，問問情況是何時發生的，都是在一天的特定時間嗎？不要還沒有計畫就將問題帶回家。
If a teacher does bring up a problem, try not to be defensive. Find out as much as you can about the situation, and ask for specific examples. If your child is misbehaving, ask when it occurs. Is it always during one subject or time of day? Don't leave without creating a plan to deal with the issue. Ask what you can do at home to help.

If you need to bring up a thorny issue, handle it with sensitivity. Don't accuse or attack. If your child feels like her teacher picks on her, you might say, "I know you care about the kids. I've seen the way you speak to them. But Jenny seems to think that you pick on her. Do you know why she might think that?"

Your life now

Planning a family vacation is fun. Just remember that family trips can have their stressful side. Young children are routine-reliant, and upsetting the norms can affect their behavior in trying ways.
規劃家庭旅遊是很有趣的！不過要記住：小孩是很依賴規律的生活的，通常6歲小孩會想知道旅遊的規劃內容：下一步要去哪？搭什麼交通工具？如何抵達目的地...?
Six-year-olds like to know what's going to happen. Explain your itinerary to your child. Tell her exactly how you will get to your destination and what kind of transportation you'll take.

Encourage her to take part in the packing. Think through activities day by day so you won't overlook anything like a swimsuit or sweater. Don't forget blankets or teddy bears, especially if your child has recently given up such comfort objects – she may appreciate them while traveling.
鼓勵她自己打包行李，也不要忘了小毯子或小娃娃，特別是他們已經放棄帶許多物品時，他們會更珍惜這些攜帶的東西。