Two veteran teachers guide parents through the challenging waters of a child's elementary school years.

Parents want their child to succeed in school. This book helps them promote smooth sailing for their child through all those important early school years, encouraging them to communicate with teachers early and regularly. The authors, two teachers who are also mothers, share ways to establish positive parent-teacher relationships and provide an insider's understanding of how schools actually work. Here is outstanding practical advice that parents need to help their child thrive in school.

Tips for parents cover a variety of topics, including:

• Establishing a positive relationship with teachers and the school
  
• Managing homework
  
• Interpreting report cards
  
• Suggestions for successful parent-teacher interviews
  
• Addressing conflict
  
• How to prepare young children to enter school
  
• Early reading and writing development
  
• Effective home-school communication
  
• Improving their child's study skills
  
• Tips for parents who need to help their child deal with peer pressure and bullying

Special chapters include information on the different ways children learn, legal and medical matters and special education concerns. There are also fun and educational activity pages for family-oriented activities that support school curriculum topics.

Borowski and Mayne have extensive experience sitting on both sides of the parent-teacher conference table, and they offer valuable insights from both perspectives.