As a parent, you want to make sure that your child is doing well at school. You want to be able to provide them with everything that they need to be able to succeed, especially when it comes to doing their homework. For stay-at-home parents, this could be helping their child with their homework every night, while parents who don’t have as much time can use external assistance such as getting online homework help or hiring a tutor.
However, there are times when you might notice that your child might be struggling with their homework, and it’s not always easy to spot those instances because children, especially teens, are not always comfortable talking with their parents. This is why it’s important to always check in your with kids so that you can spot signs that your children are struggling with their schoolwork.
Your Child Suddenly Becomes Reluctant to Talk About Their School Day
It’s a pretty common thing, but something that holds great value. The moment your child comes home from school, you ask them how their day went. Some kids love to talk about their day at school, especially if it’s a habit that they grew up with. However, you might suddenly notice that your child becomes withdrawn or even sullen when you ask about their day. They might give you a short answer, a quick shrug, or even ignore you.
It could be that something is just bothering your child for that particular day (everyone has a bad day now and again), and if it’s the first time that this happens, you can chalk it up to a single bad day. However, if you notice that your child is regularly reluctant about talking about their day at school, it could be a sign that they are struggling with their schoolwork. It can also mean that they are being bullied, but it’s important to explore the problem without being too intrusive. If your child doesn’t want to talk about it, just provide comfort and give them some space.
You Notice Changes in Sleeping or Eating Patterns
Given that most coursework is quite demanding, it’s normal that a child will feel tired or does not have an appetite after a long day at school. However, an observant parent will also notice whether their child is displaying a distinct change in their sleeping or eating patterns.
Does your child take a lot longer in the morning to wake up? Do they immediately go and have a nap right after they come home from school? Do they eat very little, or worse, skip meals completely?
While these can be signs of something wrong with their health, it could also be strong signs that your child is struggling with their schoolwork. They could be worrying about their performance at school, and this can produce stress and anxiety that can cause them to lose sleep or their appetite.
Your Child Displays Negative Changes in their Attitude Towards School
Negative attitude towards school every now and again is normal for a child. They might be having trouble with a classmate, they might be struggling to learn a particular lesson, or they might feel as if they are bored with the curriculum. However, as with the first warning sign, any sudden negative attitudes that are drawn out or prolonged could point to signs that your child is struggling with their school work.
It’s important that you get to the root of what your child is feeling. Find the time to talk to them directly and honestly. Encourage an environment where your child can talk to you about their school issues without them feeling judged or attacked.
Notices from Your Child’s Teacher Begin Arriving
Of course, this is the most obvious sign that your child is struggling with their schoolwork. Remember, your child’s teacher only has your child’s best interests at heart, and any notices that you receive from them is a direct observation of your child’s issues at school.
Your child’s teacher might notice that he or she is acting up at school, causing a scene in the classroom, bothering their classmates, or that their performance is slipping.
Why is It Important to Nip Schoolwork Problems in the Bud?
The reason why it’s important to immediately focus on your child when they are struggling with schoolwork is that much of the United States education system works under the Common Core Standards. This means that lessons are designed to use concepts from previous learnings, and if your child is struggling with a lesson now, they will have a more difficult time understanding the concepts in the future. You need to make sure that they understand the coursework now to prepare them properly for future lessons.