10 Helpful Suggestions for Improving Your Kid's Grades by Hannah Stephens
Photo by Annie Spratt
It’s every parent’s joy to see their child thriving , which is why parents will do whatever they can to help their kids. If your kid is struggling with bad grades at school, you might be wondering what you can do to help them. Luckily, there’s much you can do, but one of the essential things you have to do is be understanding. Here are some other helpful suggestions:
1. Review homework
Homework has lots of benefits as it reinforces and extends any learning done in the class, which is an excellent way to help kids gain useful study skills. It’s seen as a way to help students develop a sense of work ethic and responsibility, both of which go a long way in assisting kids beyond the classroom. The best way to know whether your kid is struggling is to review their homework once in a while, as that will help you identify and try to solve any existing issue before it becomes serious. You can discuss such issues with your kid and involve their teacher if need be.
2. Make studying fun
Doing homework can be overwhelming to a child. Figure out what kind of environment is best for them to help them to do their homework and help set that up for them. Remember all kids are different. Some may need a snack first or during, some may need a super quiet space, some may need more help, and other kids will just want to be left alone.
3. Try to know more about your kid’s school
You can visit the school and learn about important updates on the school website, which will make you feel more connected to the learning environment that your kid is in.
4. Attend all meetings in schools
As mentioned above, your kid appreciates it when they feel that you are interested in their school life and that you support them, which generally means showing up. Attending back-to-school night and parent-teacher meetings are important. It’s a great opportunity to learn where your child is at, you can meet with their teachers, and discuss the best strategies to help your child do well in class.
5. Enough quality sleep = success
A good sleep helps the mind relax so that one is ready to learn more once they are awake. Remember that lack of enough sleep negatively affects memory, ability to grasp things faster, as well as alertness, and attention span, all of which are crucial in learning. We know this can be super challenging, but do your best to get them in bed early.
6. Give the right nutrition
School kids’ brains need a lot of fuel to help them stay sharp at all times, and eating healthy food with substance can make all the difference. Avoid feeding junk meals to your little ones and try to stick to healthy meals packed with vitamins and minerals, so that your kid is generally healthy at all times. Unfortunately healthy eating can be rather expensive, but we really love Thrive Market for offering healthy food at much lower prices.
7. Screen-free zones
We are inundated with technology in the era of endless television options, social media, and ever evolving tech. Navigating this new world can be challenging with our little ones. It is important to help them navigate a healthy relationship with TV and computers, and this also includes limiting their interaction with screens. Some choose to avoid it altogether during the week, with screen time only on the weekend. Others limit screen time to 30 minutes - 1 hour per day.
8. Take attendance seriously
Schedule and consistency are gold for our little ones. Getting them to school on time helps to not interfere with their learning. If your child is consistently wanting to stay home and not go to school, there could be some challenges happening for them at school. Be sure to discuss it with them, and also with their teacher, if need be. In some cases, you might have to consult the school counselor or psychologist for help. Don’t ever be shy to enlist the help of a professional. You will thank yourself in the long run big time.
9. Teach study skills
Helping your child study better is possible by familiarizing them different study skills, and helping them figure out what works best for their learning style. Let them know that they need to study for their tests ahead of time, break down study tasks into smaller, manageable tasks, use the right study material, make good use of mnemonic devices, and others. There are lots of skills that you can pass on to your young one which can help them be good scholars even later in life.
10. Reward your kid
Rewarding your kid when they perform well in school can encourage them to push even harder. Whether it is a special date with mom or dad, a small toy, or a special privilege - this sort of reward can help them feel motivated to work hard.