Parenting Top Tips: Underachieving At School

Underachieving

When our little ones head off to school for the first time, we might expect things to go smoothly. They’re going to be the A* student, making their school proud and their parents even prouder. In actuality, the chances of this happening are lower than you’d think. A lot of children struggle in terms of education, underachieving for any number of reasons. It can be a difficult issue to wrap your head around, and that’s why we’re going to look at it today.

Examining The Reasons

When a child is struggling at school, the reasons for it aren’t always as cut and dry as they might seem. Many parents point to laziness as a key factor, and while this can be the case, it isn’t always true. Let’s take a look at some reasons why a child might be underachieving.

  • Laziness is problematic, and it can arise as a result of boredom, peer pressure, unhappiness and more. The key to pushing laziness aside is motivation and corrective parenting, and we’ll discuss this in further detail later.
  • Learning difficulties are a common reason why children can struggle at school. As a parent, taking courses surrounding dyspraxia or dyslexia awareness might be beneficial. Those who can’t learn in the same way as the majority need extra support in order to flourish.
  • Problems at home can also be a reason for underachieving. If a child is stuck in the middle of a messy divorce, for example, it can be tough for them to remain focused.

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It’s All About Motivation

No matter what the problem is, it can often be overcome with the right type of motivation. In particular, laziness is best combated with motivational techniques. Let’s look at a few laziness-related techniques right now.

  • Incentivizing is important when it comes to motivation. You’re probably not going to open their mind to the wonders of long division, so you need another technique. Rewarding them with extra time on their Xbox One might just do the trick.
  • Sometimes, parents can go over-the-top and do too much for their child. It’s done out of love, but if you’re doing too many tasks for them, they’ll come to expect it. This mindset takes over their life, assuming that someone will account for their lack of effort. If you’re picking up after them, you need to back off. They’ll soon be motivated to start working harder if they realise that you’re not going to come to the rescue.
  • You’ll find that getting your child to work harder outside of school is much easier when deadlines are set. Getting them into a routine will be tough, but the rewards will be more than worth it.

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How To Punish

Sometimes, punishments must be set. It’s important to understand when to punish your child for a lack of effort, and how to create the right message. In particular, shouting or arguing isn’t going to get the job done. Many parents look to remove goodies and privileges that a child otherwise might take for granted. As long as you stick to your guns and send a clear message, this tactic should be effective.

But, as mentioned earlier, not every underachieving child requires punishment. If your child has a legitimate reason for underperforming, you’ll need to examine the issue much further.

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