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- Parents of children who walk to school should assess the route for safety, finding out where crossing guards are situated and checking out the traffic patterns.
- Tell kids they should stay on sidewalks and main roads, and not cut through woods, alleys or deserted areas.
Older siblings should ride or walk with younger ones. Or, if the child doesn't have siblings, see if an older neighbor child can walk or ride with your kids.
- Children who ride on a bus should review safety rules, such as waiting for the bus to stop before attempting to get on or off.
- Let the principal's office know if a child is going to be absent from school.
- Give kids options for dealing with bullies, such as walking away or telling the kid to stop.
If that doesn't work, discuss a persistent bully with your child's teacher.
- Encourage kids to talk about fears of violence, and explain how to avoid dangerous situations and what has been done to assure a child's safety.
- Arrange for a space at home to do homework that's free of clutter and distractions - and away from a TV set.
Show interest in a child's class work. Check homework and help explain assignments.
- If a child is having trouble completing his or her homework, parents should consider cutting back after-school activities and making sure there's supervised homework time during after-school care.
- Arrange for a tutor if your child is having trouble with a particular subject. Consult with a child's teacher.
- Allow time for free play in your child's schedule.
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