A Psychologist’s Guide to Supporting Your Child in School: Meet Dr. Stephanie Crawford-Goetz

As a parent, few things are more stressful than seeing your child struggle at school. You want to help, but navigating the school system can be overwhelming.

On a recent Nobody’s Perfect Podcast episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Stephanie Crawford- Goetz provided research-backed tips for parents advocating for their child. Dr. Crawford-Goetz stressed the first step is strong parent engagement. Working collaboratively with teachers and administrators as partners gives them a complete picture of your child’s needs. Open communication is key – don’t be afraid to speak up!

While schools offer more mental health services today, ongoing therapy requires outside providers. If your child’s issues are far-reaching, don’t hesitate to seek additional support. Their well-being comes first. Dr. Crawford-Goetz encourages parents to have constructive dialogue with teachers about academic and behavioral strategies that could help their child, but also reminds parents to remember teachers have trying days too and also need grace.

Schools aim to empower every student. By communicating concerns comfortably, you’re helping them succeed. You and your child’s school are on the same team. Below are Dr. Crawford Goetz’s top tips for a winning strategy:

1. Highly engage with your child’s school by being an involved partner.
2. Frequently communicate about your child’s unique needs.
3. Consider outside support if issues impact other parts of life.
4. Have constructive conversations about helpful strategies.
5. Demonstrate grace and recognize teachers are human, too.
6. Collaborate with school staff to find solutions.
7. Speak up! Your voice matters.

As parents, we all want our kids to thrive. While navigating the school system can be daunting, remember: you know your child better than anyone else. By engaging collaboratively with your child’s school and teachers, together you’ll find what works.

Dr. Crawford-Goetz has more from her clinical experience and conversation with Nobody’s Perfect Podcast host Jason Hopcus, here, and be sure to follow Nobody’s Perfect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.