It can be disappointing when your child struggles at school because we all want them to do well. But you need to remember that all kids are different, and what one child is good at, another isn’t. Your child might be great at artwork but has a hard time doing maths, so here are some tips.
Signs Your Child is Struggling
A lot of kids have periods of falling behind or missing some work, and it’s normal when they’re in their teen years. But falling behind can be damaging to their overall school life and means they will have to catch up. Luckily, there are some things to look out for. ADHD supplements for kids can help, but learning to spot the signs and working on them is a good first step. Some of the signs include long homework times, a lack of motivation and teachers raising concerns as well.
Why Your Child Struggles at School
No parent wants to see their kids struggling at school, but it does happen. One survey by the school district in LA found that around half of children started the school year below their grade level. So don’t panic if your child falls behind now and then because it is pretty normal. There are some reasons why this happens, and you can easily work on most. Some key factors for falling behind in school include stress at home, special education needs and social problems.
Ways You Can Help Them
If you notice your child is struggling a little when it comes to school work, you can work on the issue fairly easily. It can take time, but there are a few tried and tested ways of helping them work at a better grade level and even getting them excited about school and schoolwork. This requires practical changes for the most part, and you have a role to play in shaping the future of your child’s academia. Yet you can also work hand in hand with the school with these ideas.
Be open and approachable
Like most things in life, communication is key for getting your kids back on track with schoolwork. If you don’t at least ask them why they are falling behind or what is going on with their lives, you may never be able to address it. You also need to be there for your kids by staying open and approachable. It can help to provide a safe space at home where the kids feel they can come to you with any problems that they have, as kids often won’t tell adults things.
Get in touch with the school
Of course, the school has a huge role to play when it comes to supporting your kids when they are there. Teachers are a great point of contact because they see your kids every day and can often see where they are beginning to fall behind. So work with the school to make it better:
- Ask to speak directly with the teachers to understand where they are lacking.
- Work on a plan with the school to find extra help and support for your child.
- Don’t blame the teaching methods of the school as they have to cater to everyone.
- Ask about any extra after-school social activities such as children’s football.
- Enquire about remedial classes that allow your child to catch up on work.
It’s easy to blame teachers for a child falling behind, but they are only responsible for delivering the education. It takes a coordinated effort to really help struggling kids, and the school relies on you as much as you rely on them. And in many cases, a school is limited in what they can do.
Make time for homework help
Homework is there to help your kids better understand a subject because there are only so many school hours in the day. Yet many kids find it hard to even think about doing homework, never mind getting it all done. There are also changes your kids are going through when they are growing up, and even hormones can be a child’s worst nightmare. Setting rules for getting homework done, such as no TV or video games, is a great first step for getting them on track.
Be flexible and dynamic with rules
Having rules is the best way to keep most kids in check, but there is a delicate balance when it comes to kids of all ages. Too strict, and you could face a rebellion. Too relaxed, and the kids might take advantage. So, what do you do in these cases? You need to be flexible with the rules. A strict set of rules may not work for all situations, and kids can have bad days like adults. Maybe the rules can be relaxed if they need to be, as they can always try again the next day.
Don’t get angry if your child struggles at school
You might remember that growing up was hard, and the smallest things that are trivial to adults can ruin a teenager’s day. Giving the kids a little breathing room rather than getting angry when they haven’t completed some work will always help defuse a situation. If a teenager feels you are at their throat, you may never get the result you want. It can help to wait a little while and then speak to them later on and ask them what is going on and how you can work on it.
Encourage a positive attitude
Kids these days already have so much negativity in their lives, and they don’t need more from the people and places they should feel safe and comfortable. If you pile on the pressure, then your kids can begin to see you as the bad parent just breathing down their neck all the time. Of course, the issues have to be addressed, but you can do it in a positive way. Instead of expressing your disappointment, praise them when they have clearly tried to do better at school.
Summary
There are some signs when your child struggles at school, such as taking a long time to finish homework. You can help by being open and approachable and even relaxing the rules a little. And it always helps to stay positive and praise effort instead of negativity when they fall behind.
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