(NAPSI) – Even the smartest, most-informed parents can make mistakes. Parenting children through their school years requires a balancing act between what’s best for family dynamics and for a child’s academic success.

Dr. Andrea Pastorok of Kumon Math and Reading Centers offers the following tips to help parents avoid five common mistakes when dealing with a child’s scholastic achievement:

1. Expecting Perfection Instead of Progress. If you only praise your child when he completes a task or reaches a goal, he may give up long before he ever gets there. Demonstrate to your child that you believe in him by giving genuine and frequent praise for progress and effort.

2. Allowing Your Child to Quit Whenever the Work Gets Hard. Encourage your child to persevere when schoolwork becomes challenging by becoming her coach to get her through the tough spots. Help her to take a one-step-at-a-time approach. Work with her to identify the information needed to solve problems and pinpoint places where she gets "stuck."

3. Underestimating Your Child’s Ability. Don’t assume your child will be weak in a subject because you were, and don’t underestimate his abilities. Expect your child to reach his potential in all subjects, not just the ones that are easiest. If your child is struggling in math but loves reading, help your child discover new ways to enjoy math. However, keep your expectations realistic.

4. Allowing Your Child to be Disorganized. To ensure that children will become successful students, parents must help them acquire good study habits and strong organizational skills. Start by creating a special learning area at home; set aside time for homework and reading. For older children, teach them to organize their time by using a calendar or planner.

5. Refusing to Admit that Your Child is Capable of Wrongdoing. Children are individuals, and no matter how hard we try to raise smart, honest and caring children, they will make mistakes or poor decisions. If a teacher, friend or parent brings to your attention your child’s behavior, don’t deny it. Listen.

Depending on the situation, speak to your child about the incident in the privacy of your home and decide the best way to handle it.

Dr. Pastorok is an education specialist with Kumon Math and Reading Centers. She has a doctorate in educational psychology. Since 1958, Kumon Math and Reading Centers has helped children strengthen math and reading skills, increase self-confidence and develop study skills that last a lifetime. To locate a Kumon Center in your neighborhood call: 1-800-ABCMATH or visit www.kumon.com.

Parents generally want to do the right things for their kids, but they don’t always know how, according to a recent survey. It also found Americans see a direct relationship between the amount of meaningful time adults spend with children and such major issues facing youth today as discipline problems, violence, and substance abuse.

The survey is called the Annual Meaningful Time Check-Up on U.S. Children & Families. It’s released every year in conjunction with National KidsDay.

Americans assign high values on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most important, to engaging in physical activity with children (9.0), talking to kids about their problems (9.7), eating nutritious meals (9.3) and getting involved in their children’s education (9.7), but millions seem to fall short of their good intentions.

For example:

• With more children being afflicted by obesity and diabetes, more than half (54 percent) of America’s parents say they either have no time, little time or wish they had more time to spend in physical activity with their children.

• One-quarter of America’s parents have not talked to their children about exposure to drugs, tobacco and alcohol in the last year. Parents in six million households have never talked to their kids about what to do in the event of a fire in the home or if their children get lost. While a majority of parents (56 percent) reported their children are worried about war and terrorism, two out of three have no family emergency plan.

• A majority of parents (51 percent) say their kids don’t eat enough nutritious food. Although they know how important it is for families to eat together, nearly four in 10 eat a home-cooked meal with their kids less than once a day.

• A significant number of adults nearly a quarter (22 percent)-reported frequent worrisome behavior changes and sadness in their children during the past year. Parents in 11 million households would like more time to talk to their children about important issues such as school problems or depression.

For more information on the Check-Up and National KidsDay, visit www.kidsday.net.