I once heard someone say that the scariest words they ever heard their child utter were, "Mom, I have to do a science fair project."

Well, it shouldn't be scary. The science fair should be a learning opportunity for your child. It is not supposed to be a giant headache for the parent.

Parents should not be overly involved in this science fair project. The level of involvement will likely depend on the grade of the student. Fifth graders should be almost completely independent. Obviously, younger students will need more guidance.

Parents should do the following:

• Prevent procrastination - set deadlines
• Monitor for safety
• Help to find supplies and materials
• Enforce family standards for "Personal Best"

If parents do more than these four things, the student probably won't learn as much, and they won't take ownership for their success or failure. Remember, the learning goals for this project are NOT content related. In other words, no one really cares if your child learns about the ph level of different fruits and which one would make the best battery in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Our learning goal for the science fair is that the student learns about the scientific method and how to manage a long term project. Anything else is gravy!