It’s the start of a new year–and nearly the halfway point in this school year. So it’s a good time to take stock and make any needed adjustments.

Spend some time talking with your child about how the school year is going. If the two of you set learning goals at the start of the year, review those goals now. Is she making progress? How can she make the rest of the school year even better?

Then make some learning resolutions. Here are a few to consider:

• Reduce screen time. Talk about the time your child spends in front of a screen. How much time does she watch TV? Play computer games? Chat and IM with friends? If she’s an average seven- to 18-year-old, she’s spending seven-and-a-half hours on these activities a day. Yikes! Set a goal of reducing her total screen time to no more than two hours a day.
• Spend time reading. There is no skill that will help your child more in school. And reading, like other skills, gets better with practice. Encourage your child to read, and don’t worry about what she reads. Let her read about sports, her favorite TV star or a hobby.

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