Take action as a parent

As a parent, you are a key contributor to your children’s school perseverance.

A key contributor | Engagement: a factor for success | Ideas for encouraging school perseverance | Resources

Elementary to high school transition
ReadyforHighSchool.ca: an engaging website that makes the transition to high school easier.

A key contributor

Even in adolescence, when parent-child relations may be more strained, you remain your children’s most important educator and role model.

Your opinions, interest, and engagement are important to your children and influence their choices.

Above all, remember that your parental knowledge and your relationship with your children give you crucial expertise in fostering their success.

Engagement: a factor for success

The value you place on education and your engagement in your children’s schooling will have a positive effect on their school perseverance.

Parental engagement has been shown to influence a number of aspects of children’s lives, including:

grades
sense of well-being
diligence
self-control
educational aspirations

This is why it is so important to take an active interest in your children’s homework activities, their day-to-day experiences at school, and their plans for the future.

Rest assured, you are not alone. Schools and community organizations are vital partners in promoting your children’s success. Work with them to build partnerships that will benefit your children.

Ideas for encouraging school perseverance*

The demands of daily life can sometimes make it difficult to play an active role in your children’s schooling. Remember that every gesture counts; try to incorporate some of the ideas below into your routine at home.

Instill a love of reading and learning in your children.
Maintain a close bond with your children, ask questions and be a role model.
Get involved in your children’s school life.
Provide adequate supervision of homework and class work.
Encourage effort, regardless of results.
Be supportive during tough times.
Encourage autonomy without abandoning parental supervision.
Keep an eye out for fatigue from an overload of work or activities.
Help your children identify their strengths and look to the future.
Encourage your children to talk to you about their interests and nourish their aspirations.
Place a high value on your children’s success at school.
Place a high value on education and graduating from high school.
Wear the school perseverance ribbon with pride.
Encourage your children regularly.

*Based on ideas from the Comité régional pour la valorisation de l’éducation (CREVALE).

Our Key Topic page on school readiness may also be assistance.

In addition, the websites of Allô prof (French only) and the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec offer a wide range of tips and advice to help you in supporting your children’s school perseverance.

Resources

Whatever your need may be, there are resources and services available that can help you support and guide your child. Here are just a few.

Support and intervention

LigneParents
LigneParents provides personalized support for parents of children aged 0 to 20 years. Trained staff are available to answer your questions and help you resolve crisis situations. (The website is in French, but services are also offered in English.)
(Free of charge, available 24/7)

Tel-jeunes
Telephone, Internet, and text-message service to answer the questions and concerns of 5–20-year-olds.
(Free of charge, available 24/7)

Information and Referral Centre of Greater Montreal
This online and phone service will direct you to the organization that can best meet your needs, whether it be for social security, health, employment, welfare, or recreation.
(Free of charge)

Répertoire des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage
This directory will help you quickly find useful resources for preventing dropout or undertaking a school re-engagement activity.
(The website is in French, but it is possible to find resources offering services in English.)
(Free of charge)

Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (Centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux)
Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (CISSS) and Integrated University Health and Social Service Centres (CIUSSS) in your area offer health and psychosocial services.
(Free of charge)

Youth employment centres
Staff at youth employment centres (Carrefours jeunesse-emploi—CJE) are available to assist young people 16 to 35 years old with their educational and professional development. Services include helping your child find an internship or job, start a business project, stay in school, or (in the case of a dropout) return to school. (French only)
(Free of charge)

Fédération des comités de parents du Québec (FCPQ)
The FCPQ website has links to a host of useful resources, including counselling, and to organizations and resources related to bullying, special needs, educational counselling, and more.
(Free of charge)

Guidance

Alloprof
The Alloprof website offers materials on all school subjects (videos, information sheets, worksheets) and a wide range of tips and advice for helping your children with school: information about school and school subjects, advice on developing good habits, and strategies for success.
(French only)
(Free of charge)

Fédération des comités de parents
The FCPQ website also contains important information about how to support your children, classified according to education level or special needs.
(Free of charge)

Learning disabilities

Institut des troubles d’apprentissage (ITA)
The Institut des troubles d’apprentissage (institute for learning disabilities) offers services via telephone, email, or in person in order to listen to your concerns, provide information, and, in certain cases, direct you to the appropriate resource. (French only)
(Free of charge)

Extracurricular activities

Youth centres and youth community organizations
Montréal’s youth centres (maisons de jeunes) give young people aged 12 to 17 a place to meet other young people, take part in all sorts of activities, and get information. (French only)
(Free of charge)

YMCAs of Québec
Your local YMCA provides a range of youth programs to promote your children’s development. Children can take part in physical, recreational, and educational activities, while youth can access leadership programs, cultural exchanges, or employability training.

Work/school balance

Key Topic of work/school balance
Our Key Topic page on work/school balance contains useful resources for helping your children find the right balance between school and their job. (French only)

Homework help

Alloprof
Whether online, by telephone, or by text message, Alloprof’s services provide children support and advice from teachers as well as access to a host of information and resources to help them with their homework.
(French only)
(Free of charge)

Répertoire des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte au décrochage
Some dropout prevention organizations in Québec provide homework assistance. This directory lists Montreal-based organizations.
(The website is in French, but it is possible to find resources offering services in English.)
(Free of charge)

YMCAs of Québec
YMCAs offer various homework help programs for elementary and high school students. Often combined with sports or recreational activities, these programs target the overall success of youth by providing individualized educational support.

Early childhood

Naître et grandir
The Naître et grandir website is a rich source of information for parents of children 0 to 5 years old, containing suggestions and special topics to answer your questions and help you support your child’s development. (French only)
(Free of charge)

Island of Montreal daycare network
The Parents section of the Island of Montreal daycare network (Regroupement des CPE de l’île de Montréal) contains useful links and resources for parents of young children and information about the network of early childhood education centres. This includes a link for finding a daycare centre near you and information about the transition to kindergarten. (French only)
(Free of charge)

Transition to high school

ReadyforHighSchool.ca

ReadyforHighSchool is a website for grade 6 and secondary 1 students and their parents that lets them explore the new realities of being a high school student through games and advice.

Initially designed by the Table 5-12 ans de Rosemont, the webiste was adapted for all of Montréal by Réseau réussite Montréal, in collaboration with the English Montreal (EMSB) and Lester B. Pearson (LBPSB) school boards, as well as with the Montréal (CSSDM), Marguerite-Bourgeoys (CSSMB) and Pointe-de-l’Île (CSSPI) school service centres.

Please note that Montreal Hooked on School does not work directly with parents. However, MHS is able to provide these links to materials and resources for parents seeking information thanks to the expertise of its partners.