Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause a child to fall behind
Missing 10% (or 18 days) can make it harder for a child to learn to read
Students can fall behind even if they miss one or two days every few weeks
As a parent, you are responsible for making sure your child develops good attendance habits
What parents can do:
Set a regular bedtime and morning routine
Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick. Sometimes a complaint of a stomach ache or headache might be anxiety. Speak with a school social worker or school counselor.
A word about tardies......
Chronic tardiness in elementary school is often linked to failure in high school
The parent of a chronically tardy child does not have to enter a classroom and try to play ‘catch-up’; that task is left to the parent’s tardy child
And as much as the chronically tardy child tries to be ‘invisible’ upon entering the classroom, everyone notices