PARENTS who help their children with homework and are strict about sickies give their children the best start in life.
Parents who let their children stay home from school only when they are "really sick" have sons and daughters who perform better in maths and vocabulary, an Australian study has shown.
It shows that even in the most disadvantaged areas, parental involvement can have a significant impact on children's education.
Melbourne mum Penelope Anastasiadis regularly helps her nine-year-old daughter Elizabeth with school work. But she knows when to stop.
"It's great to help out, but doing their homework for them, I'm completely against. How are they supposed to learn?" she said.
Instead she makes sure her daughter makes a start on it herself. "We let her try it, but we'll look