Part of parenting is making sure children not only go to school, but also do their homework, study for tests and get extra help when needed.

But that doesn't always go as planned because kids, especially teenagers, opt to go against the encouragement of their parents. Instead of doing their homework, kids would rather being doing almost anything else...But those choices don't come consequence free.

One dad made a bold public statement to his son about his bad grades - teaching a lesson his boy is likely to never forget.

According to CNN, Thomas' dad Tommy (who declined to give his last name) was going to take his son to Cleveland Cavaliers game - "[Thomas] loves LeBron, he loves Kyrie, Kevin Love, all of those guys. He loves the Cavs." said the loving father.

But once Tommy went to his son's parent-teacher conferences and saw Thomas' low grades, he decided to rethink his decisions.

At the NBA game, Tommy held up a poster that stated, "Thomas get your grades back up and next time you'll be here. Love, Dad."

But the father didn't stop there. Tommy went to another NBA basketball game with a sign that read, "Thomas can you hear me now? STUDENT then ATHLETE son. In that order. Love, Dad."

Hopefully, Thomas got the message loud and clear: school and education are important. And actions (or lack of action) come with consequences. In this case, not getting to attend sporting events with his dad.

What can you do if your child's grades are less than acceptable?

• Talk to them and see if there's a specific reason why. Maybe your child is unable to focus or may need glasses.

• Set up an appointment with their teacher(s) so you can work together to solve any issues.

• As parents, be available to help with homework and studying for tests.

• If your child is struggling with certain subjects, encourage them to talk with their teacher to get extra help.

• Find what motivates your child and use that to positively encourage completing homework.

• Some schools let parents check grades, specific assignments and any tardiness or absences online. Use that as a way to stay up to date on how your student is doing at school.

• Don't allow other activities such as TV, video games, cell phone use (games, texting, Facebook, SnapChat, etc.), sports or other activities to take priority over school work. Once your student demonstrates they can manage their time well, then introduce other activites.

It's necessary to teach children why school, learning and good grades are important. Even if your child is a gifted athlete or musician or artist, sometimes those plans don't work out and a college education becomes vital for their livelihood. Remain positive and supportive rather than nagging or attacking...and feel free to take a leaf out of Tommy's book and teach your child this lesson by holding up a poster at your next NBA game.

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