Math and Science Matter
Throughout the past decades, society has expected boys to excel in the “harder” classes (science and math) and girls in the “easier” ones (language and social studies). The fact is all areas of study can be hard or easy, depending on the individual child and her attitude. Another fact is that when it comes to the job market, college graduates with a math or science background usually find better-paying jobs and in more abundance. Women applicants, equipped with advanced math or science skills — especially in computer science — can often write their own tickets.
Today's world is one where math and science are ever more important, especially for girls and their future career choices. The clock cannot be turned back, but parents can step up and make sure their daughters are prepared for that challenge. That means they first have to lay the foundation for their girls to be math- and science-ready. It all starts with you, the parent. Yet no matter how gung-ho you are about math and science, begin with what your daughter likes. It does no good cramming a liking for those subjects down her throat when she loves literature or history. This is about her life and her gifts.
Physically Ready for Math and Science
Studying math and science takes full concentration. There are no lulls in those classes as there may be in English when a teacher is likely to instruct his students to quietly read Act I of Romeo and Juliet or the next scenes in Lorraine Hansberry's work. Just as you would give your car a close checkup to ensure it is ready for a road trip, check to see if your daughter is at her best physically when she faces what could be her more difficult classes. You do that by closely examining the following:
Sleep schedule. Establish your girl's proper sleep pattern two weeks before school starts. Tired girls cannot concentrate as well as those who are well rested.
Breakfast choices. Girls who eat a healthy breakfast perform better in schools than those who do not eat one, or eat nothing but sugary cereals and candy.
Physical condition. Make sure her height, weight, and body mass index fall within a normal range.
Use your resourcefulness in handling any issues that crop up along those lines. Girls can take naps after school to add to their rest time. They can eat leftover cheese pizza — made with low-fat cheese — or a turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato for breakfast. Or pack a toasted muffin for later — to eat during break — if their stomach hasn't woken up yet. You don't have to limit her to the traditional breakfast foods. Plus, a daily quick jog around the block can do wonders physically, for both you and her.
Question
Should I send my daughter to school when she is sick?
Check your daughter's school policy. Generally speaking, she can go to school with some minor conditions such as a slight cold or a slight temperature up to 100.5°F if there are no other symptoms, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you are unsure about how serious her cold or temperature is, keep her home.
In short, the healthier and more energetic your girl is, the more she is off to a great start when tackling her math and science courses.
Mentally Ready for Math and Science
Any time your daughter says something negative about science or math, counter it immediately with a positive statement. If she says, “I'm just not good in science and math,” say, “Nobody knows how good they are in anything unless they try. Let me help you.”
Then choose a deliberate course of action that may include the following plans:
Encourage her to join her school's math or science clubs. Often this works best if she and a friend sign up together.
Urge your daughter to become a lab assistant in her chemistry or physics class.
Provide her with a role model, a “cool” mathematician or scientist who can mentor her.
If all else fails, you can “bribe” your daughter. Tell her to be daring in math and science and sign up for the hardest courses. You and she can negotiate on the payoff, but why not? Does your company not provide bonuses for extra-brilliant performance? Yet, at the same time, please be realistic. Not every girl is mentally geared toward these courses, so take into consideration your daughter's abilities and desires.
