A Good Child, A Good Student

Education does not begin and end in a classroom. Between homework assignments, projects, and studying a child has many other opportunities to not only learn, but truly understand how the world works. The simply solution is time spent with your child working on lessons from the teacher and recognizing opportunities as they present themselves in everyday life. If you find yourself constantly worried about your child’s grades and formal education ask yourself how much time you spend working with your child helping to decipher the new information they have received. Nine times out of ten all it takes is a little more attention.

Many children do not ask for help when they truly need it. Instead of telling you they do not understand the quadratic equation they say that math sucks and that their teacher is unfair. Instead of asking for a math tutor they will fail to study for a big test and start on the path to unsatisfactory marks. It is not until the bitter end that most children step back and ask for help. As a parent you have to be able to not only read the signs but understand what they mean. This can be quite tricky and there is no easy solution. The best way to go about aiding your child during any educational crisis is to talk it out. Ask what is bothering them at school. What don’t they like? What is their hardest class? This is a much more useful conversation before the student is spiraling down a destructive path.

As trite as it sounds you need to know your child. Spend time with them and understand how they act and re-act before they get the chance to. Like with lovers anticipating each other’s thoughts, you need to have that sort of mental relationship with your child. Get on their level and see how they see. You actually have the advantage of having been a child once yourself. Remember what frustrated you at that age. Did you hide your shortcomings and cheat on that Spanish test? How long did you wait before asking your parents for help? The more quality time spent with a child the easier it is to understand not only how they think, but why they think that way.

You are you child’s constant in an otherwise unknown world. Don’t take that lightly. The children who have the healthiest relationships with their parents tend to excel the most. With all the current distractions it can be hard to either have the time for your child or simply hold their attention. Find the time. Make the connection. Children will always choose the love and attention of a beloved parent before any toy if they are already strongly attached. It starts at birth and should never end. I am speaking of a healthy attachment and one that both parent and child can strongly feel.

Talk to our child about school beyond the stereotypical, “How was school?” routine. Offer your services or that of a private tutor if you sense frustration. Anticipating potential disasters is one of the most efficient ways to avoid them altogether. Keep track of homework and large projects or tests coming up and jump right in. Being involved from the start eliminates the asking for help stage altogether. They will never need to ask for help if you are helping from the start. Don’t nag them or push to hard or they will be lost to you. It is a fine line to walk, but a feasible one. Turn off the television and talk with your child about school, about life, about butterflies. It doesn’t matter. The more you get to know your child the more you will know how to successfully help them.