Help your child manage their time for homework each day. For older elementary students, teachers will frequently send weekly or even daily reminders about upcoming tests and assignment due dates. As your children get older, however, they will need to keep track of a wide variety of classes, teachers and dates. Set aside at least a half hour every evening to spend reviewing schoolwork with your child, during which she can turn to you with any major problems or questions about the assignment or study materials.
Keep an eye on your child's social life. He doesn't need you to hover over his shoulder throughout the day; engage your child in casual conversations about his friends and classmates. If your child has trouble adjusting to a new school or just seems not to have the best luck making friends, encourage them to seek an after-school activity. Don't over-schedule your child's (and your family's) time, and respect your child's interests. Tell him that he has to pick something creative or physical, for example, but don't force him into begrudging extracurricular activities.
Join the parent-teacher association (PTA) at your child's school. Many communities have such organizations, particularly for K-8 schools, to encourage parent involvement through community and family programs like those featured on the National PTA website (see Resources). Fundraising (usually for items not covered by school budgets) is an important role of the PTA, but their scope is not limited to money. The organization exists to discuss and improve issues faced by students and parents in the school community.
Assist your high school student with college preparatory materials. During her sophomore and junior year, encourage her to set aside some time each week to review SAT and ACT prep workbooks. This time also can be used to talk about and review different schools and programs available based on your child's academic interests.