Parents are a child’s first teacher. They are the most critical factor in forming a child’s self concept, attitude toward education and career choices. Most of the jobs in the future will require some type of education beyond high school. Preparing for postsecondary education or college begins at an early age. Developing good study habits, getting good grades, setting an expectation for college, exploring career options in elementary, middle, and high school, and coping with major life transitions are all important parts of the process.

The links below can help you through this process as you motivate and prepare your children to succeed in school and in life. You may also want to check out some of the students’ resources and use them together with your children.

fen.com
The Family Education Network is a useful resource for parents interested in becoming involved in their children’s studies. Topics include trends in education and curriculum, Family Learning (activities that take education beyond the classroom), and News & Policy, plus a Homework Help section.

www.pta.org
The National Parent Teacher Association web site contains a vast array of education-related resources and tips for getting involved in your child’s education that are accessible through well-designed links.

www.ed.gov/parents
Here you will find publications for parents such as "Preparing my child for school," "My child’s academic success," and "College for my child" provided by the U.S. Department of Education. There is also information about schools across the country to help you make good decisions about the schools your child will attend. You can also connect to information on financial aid for college including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA.

www.collegeview.com
CollegeView provides a Career Center where you can research all the components of various careers as well as learn more about resume writing, the job interview process and more. You can also research thousands of colleges across the country to help determine those that are a good fit for your child, search for possible scholarships, and learn more about the financial aid process.

www.parentsoup.com
Parent Soup offers advice for parents on a wide range of topics. Type into the "search" engine the words "transitions" or "adjusting to change" and you will find a variety of resources on these topics from tips sheets to chat rooms.