Solving School Problems

Make sure your child knows the difference between right & wrong

Your child probably believes cheating is wrong. But at this age, she doesn’t have firm convictions about it.

If you find out your child has cheated during a test or copied material from the Internet for a paper, grab the chance to mold her values.

Here are some tips:

• Don’t come down too harshly. Don’t accuse your child of doing something wrong right away. First ask, “Did you realize that writing spelling words on your hand for the test was wrong?”
• Ask why she cheated. Does she feel too much pressure by you to get all A’s? Is she afraid you will be disappointed with a less than perfect score?
• Tell her cheating is wrong and that you’re disappointed in her actions.
• Discuss possible consequences. Perhaps she can volunteer to tutor a younger student after school. Or spend more time on her studies and less time watching TV.
• Have your child apologize to the teacher. Help her write a note explaining that she knows what she did is wrong and why—and promising never to cheat again.

Reprinted with permission from the April 2007 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2007 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Stacy DeBroff, The Mom Book Goes to School: Insider Tips To Ensure Your Child Thrives in Elementary and Middle School, ISBN: 978-0-7432-5754-1 (Free Press, A Division of Simon & Schuster, 1-800-223-2336, www.simonsays.com).