How You Can Help Your Child's Failing Grades

If your child is struggling with getting good or high marks, there’s a lot that you can do as a parent. But, of course, you’ll want to be careful. Being too overbearing or overstepping can be counterproductive and make your child less likely to share their struggles with you. Below are a few suggestions that parents such as yourself may find helpful when dealing with your child’s low marks.

1. Make studying fun and exciting

Most kids don’t love to study, but if you start early on and make studying a fun or enjoyable activity, such a mindset will carry on later in life.

A good way to make homework and studying enjoyable is giving them snacks while they’re studying, or staying with them when you feel like they’re struggling. Even your mere presence shows enough support, regardless of whether you feel like you’re helping or not.

Also, giving your child something to look forward to after studying or doing his or her homework, like going out for a walk together or making dinner together, can make them more likely to complete them with enthusiasm.

2. Talk to your child’s teacher

Preferably, after school hours or on your free time.

You can go over your child’s schoolwork, and more importantly, ask for any suggestions on what you can do to help your child. Sometimes, your child may appear normal at home, but be different at school. By asking your child’s teacher about what he is like at school, you’ll find out if he is being bullied, having social issues, or has encountered another problem that may require more specialized care.

3. Hire a private tutor

Or enrol your child in a tuition centre.

Physics tuition really does work and they can do wonders and provide aid in improving your child’s marks. Mostly due to the fact that they are more specialized and can help your child on specific topics, and by then your child can and will improve in no time.

4. Be encouraging

Sometimes, it’s you, the parent, who’s putting the stress on your child, which can, in turn, affect their performance at school negatively. Try to limit the pressure you put on your child to succeed. Be encouraging, and more importantly, be optimistic. Let your child know that you have his or her back and that you’re there for them.

Sometimes, as a parent, literally just being there for your child or children works.

5. Set goals

Like you, the parent, your child too needs specific goals to work towards for them to be as productive as possible.

• A good way to set goals is to sit your child down and talk about their grades and get an idea of what they feel like their grades should be at the end of each quarter.
• Set realistic goals, but don’t be afraid to challenge them either.
• Understand that, sometimes, your child may not be like you. If you were a straight A student in the past, try not to expect your child to do the same.
• Try to set smaller milestones along the way to help make them feel like they are progressing, like, for example, letting them know that they did well in their exams.
• Be sure that you and your child talk about their grades and goals every now and then.
• Last, but definitely not the least, do try and reward your child for achieving specific goals.