School is an exciting time for kids that comes with so many ups and downs. It can be difficult to know how to help your child through school, particularly since school today is so different than school when parents were growing up. Schools are focused on making kids ready for the digital age, and that comes with so many new challenges. It can be difficult to know when to push your child and when to let them figure things out on your own – here’s how to help a struggling kid through school.
Encourage them to take breaks
When working with your child on a challenging subject, you’ll probably notice that they get frustrated or overwhelmed quickly when things aren’t going their way. Instead of forcing them to keep pushing, encourage them to take a break and let the information sit for a few minutes. Sometimes the feeling of being overwhelmed can make it difficult to concentrate on the information, and they just need a minute to breathe.
Let them make their own mistakes
It can be tempting to correct your child’s homework to help them get ahead in school. However, you are actually doing them a disservice in the long run, because they won’t learn from their mistakes, and it can be difficult to progress. Their teacher will be able to help them learn much more effectively if they know where they are struggling.
Don’t punish them if they’re actively trying
When your child is struggling with a difficult school subject, punishing them for say, failing a test isn’t going to help matters. Instead, be there to listen when they are struggling, and try to find out what about the work feels challenging. When you have a better understanding of where your kids are coming from, you can better help them through the challenges – and push them to try harder when they do need it.
Although it can be challenging, school is the perfect opportunity for kids to make mistakes and learn lessons that they will carry with them into adulthood. Effective support from loving parents will make this time in their life much easier.