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Needing some tips for helping your child succeed? This is why your kid is underperforming in school!
We all want our kids to succeed and do well in school, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. Maybe they’re struggling with some specific subject, or perhaps they’re just bored learning the same material repeatedly.
If you’ve noticed your child is no longer performing as well as they used to be, there are some possible reasons why this may be happening. Read on for some possible explanations about what could be going wrong in your kid’s brain. If you feel they need extra support, you may consider home tutoring as well.
High levels of stress
If your kid is going through a stressful time in their life, it can significantly affect their behavior and performance. These stressors may come from many areas of the child’s life, including home, school, extra-curricular activities, family issues such as divorce, friends/peer pressure, or any traumatic event that has happened to your child.
Everyday stressors can also affect children, such as not getting enough sleep or worrying about what others will think of them. Sometimes these problems are minor, and nothing needs to be done; however, other times, these problems should be addressed by a professional who understands how to help your child work through the issues.
Emotional needs
Children have different emotional needs. For example, some kids have a high need to be liked by everyone, so if their friends are not friendly or get bullied at school, it can significantly affect their education. Other children may have low self-esteem and will do anything to feel accepted; this could include trying drugs, smoking cigarettes, or drinking alcohol which will drastically affect their school work.
If your child is constantly seeking attention or approval from their peers, it may signify that they need help developing stronger relationships and coping skills. Through therapy, this can be done to learn how to make better choices when faced with difficult social situations.
Too much screen time
Your kids might be too engaged in movies and games that they forget to study. They can be highly motivated in these activities, which is good; however, they may not take the time to do their school work.
It has become easy for children to watch TV and play video games instead of studying because many schools give them access to Wi-Fi during class hours. Most parents are always busy with work and cannot monitor their children at home.
If you want your kid to improve academically, then you will need to monitor the amount of time your child spends on social media and video games. A screen time device bin may help. Also, make sure your child is not exposed to any distractions at home while studying.
Social anxiety
Many kids struggle with social anxiety; this is when they become nervous and uncomfortable around others. This may include giving a speech in front of a class, participating during P.E., eating lunch, or going to parties/social gatherings with other children.
If your child has problems within the school setting because of their anxious behaviors, you should talk to your child’s teachers and principal. You can also contact a professional for advice or help working through the social anxiety so that it does not affect their school performance anymore.
Your child might have ADHD
It is prevalent for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to struggle in school. This includes problems focusing on tasks, sitting still, and controlling impulses. If your child struggles in more than one of these areas, they likely have ADHD; if this is the case, they will need some extra help at school so that they can remain focused and get work done.
If your child has ADHD, you will want to talk with their teacher or principal about what can be done at school to help them succeed academically. Many children can learn effectively when they have a specific learning plan in place; this should be considered if your child struggles with classwork due to ADHD.
Emotional dysregulation
Some children have trouble regulating their emotions and coping with stress. This may lead to intense outbursts, aggression towards others, or self-injurious behaviors such as cutting themselves.
It can also mean that they cannot control anger in certain situations; this might cause them problems at school when interacting with other students or teachers who do not understand why they are so angry hence performing poorly.
If your child is struggling with emotional dysregulation, it will be vital to get the help and support they need. This might include therapy or counseling sessions where a professional can give them tools and coping mechanisms to use when faced with difficult situations in everyday life.
Cognitive deficits
Some kids have problems with their memory, language skills, or other cognitive issues that can cause them to perform poorly in school. Cognitive deficits do not relate to how intelligent a child is; these deficits indicate that a child may lack specific abilities that allow them to do well academically.
If your kid has one of the above issues, you will need support and guidance in understanding their weaknesses and how they can improve. Here is how you can help your child improve academically.
How Can You Help Your Kid?
Open a line of communication
Parents can help reduce stress by being there for support when needed; if your child needs someone to talk with, you should encourage them to open up about what’s going on so it does not get bottled up inside.
Encourage social activities
Parents should also encourage their kids to try different activities to meet new people and develop friendships outside of their home; this may help them overcome some social anxiety issues, such as practicing being around others in a low-stress environment.
Join forces with teachers
If you have any issues with your child’s development, you should talk to the school about supporting them in their academic life. Schools can do many different things for children who struggle with academics; having a conversation will help you understand what they have to offer and whether it’s suitable for your child.
Take your child to a special school
Your kid might not be performing well at school because of ADHD, emotional dysregulation, or cognitive deficits. If you have any concerns, talk to the school about what they can do. You can also take your child to a school that deals specifically with mental issues like ADHD.
Limit entertainment time
You can support your kid at home by limiting their entertainment time and ensuring they get enough sleep every night; As you restrict your child’s entertainment time, you can encourage them to take some time and read instead.
Provide reading tasks so that they can become comfortable reading whatever is given to them; this will help them develop their skills, and you can even set up rewards for the child who completes their tasks.
Counseling
It is also essential to have a conversation with your child’s teacher about their performance. If they are struggling, you might try counseling or therapy sessions where a professional help them cope with any emotional stress leading to poor academic performance.
With therapy, they can develop coping mechanisms and tools to use when faced with difficult situations in everyday life.
Hire a tutor
You can also consider a qualified tutor to help your child develop the skills they need so that your kid improves. Getting a qualified tutor will help your child by giving them tools to improve on their weak areas, that is, the subjects they are poor in.
You can schedule time after school where the tutor will be going through the needed material with them; the tutor will also be able to give you an assessment of your child’s performance.
Train your kid to be organized
You can also help your child be organized by encouraging them to do their homework in one sitting so that they don’t have to keep coming back to it. In addition, you should organize the house and set up a quiet, distraction-free space for them when they are doing their work; this will ensure they get all of their tasks done without any interruptions, thus improving their performance.
Make sure your kid is well-rested
You should also make sure that your kid gets sufficient sleep every night as this will help them function appropriately at school; you can start by enforcing bedtime and sticking to it no matter what their friends are up to or how late they want to stay awake.
Learning why your child isn’t performing well in school can help you address the issue at hand. In addition, observing them and what they do may reveal their actual needs so that you can provide a solution to their problem, whether it be too much entertainment or stress from having social anxiety and mental issues.
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