to cut around shapes with a pair of scissors. And by age 6, a child is able to cut softer foods with a knife and is able to tie their own shoes. Because all children develop at their own rate, these ages are not exact to when every child will develop these skills. Writing skills Parental involvement can influence the stage of writing within their child. Parents who are more involved in their child's learning process, will see significant improvements in their child's accuracy and clarity. Those children who are exposed to the support of their parents will develop more proficient fine motor skills. This involvement in a child's development is a first step towards the concept of parent engagement. Parent engagement is defined as "…parents and teachers sharing a responsibility to help their children learn and meet educational goals. Parent engagement happens when teachers involve parents in school meetings or events, and parents volunteer their support at home and at school. In this way, they make a commitment. Parents commit to prioritizing their child's educational goals, and teachers commit to listening and providing a space for collaboration with parents". According to "… fifty different studies on parental engagement, educational researchers found a connection between family involvement and academic achievement". Children who show a better grasp of fine motor skills are known to have better outcomes in academics. According to the results of a study conducted by Wolff, Gunnoe, and Cohen, observing the development of fine motor skills may provide us with an idea of the strength and capability a child obtains to achieve successful motor skills and academic proficiency. Basic fine motor skills that are associated with the predictability of the success of a child's development and achievement in their academic and personal life are typically known as "visual-motor integration, fine motor accuracy, visual-spatial perception, kinesthesia, and imitation of postures". Children's drawings Children's drawings also develop as a child ages and refines their fine motor skills. This has been widely studied, especially by Rhoda Kellogg (1898–1987), following children from 2 years to 8 years of age. Her research has found that the artistic gestures of children evolve from basic scribbles to consistent symbols. The first symbols that are formed by children are the circle, the upright cross, the diagonal cross, the rectangle, and other common forms. When the child is 3 years old, they begin to form face shapes