We all want our children to do well and flourish in school. You send them to public schools hoping that the educators there will be able to teach them things that you as a parent or guardian may not be able to. Sometimes some children require a little more of a push than most. They might not receive everything they need to in a regular classroom. When that happens, you may need to sit down with your child and figure out other ways to help them outside of school. Perhaps you need to find a tutor or private instructor to help you along. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting outside help. In fact, outside help may change the course of your child’s life.
In today’s classroom settings, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, children help outside of school be more prevalent than ever. With most schools opting for online classes, it’s a given that every child won’t be able to adjust to that type of learning environment. Don’t worry, there are plenty of outside learning sources to help you and your child work through these problems. If you aren’t sure about whether your child needs the extra help, here are a few signs to clue you in.
1. Reluctant to Discuss School
Most kids come home from school bursting with excitement, ready to tell you every detail of their school day. A lot happens between the start of a regular school day and the end of it, and you as a parent would usually be ready never to hear the end of it. You should probably worry a little if your child comes home with nothing to say about their school day. That’s not to say every child will do this. Some children aren’t that talkative, but if your child is normally talkative and they suddenly clam up when it comes to school, you should probably look into it. This silence can be for several reasons.
Silence doesn’t always point to learning issues. There may be problems regarding bullying or social anxiety. If it’s social anxiety, it can be a sign of a developing mental illness, and you may need to find medical assistance for a professional diagnosis. In any case, it’s best to talk with your child so that you can get to the root of the problem. If necessary, look into behavioral health services that focus on speech or social anxiety problems.
2. Misbehaving at School
If your child has behavioral problems at school, and none of your standard disciplinary actions are working to curb those problems, there may be a more significant reason for the change in your child’s behavioral health. Often, children misbehave as a response to stressful or traumatic situations. They could also be developing mental health issues that require immediate attention. If your child usually is well behaved and suddenly you start receiving concerned phone calls from your child’s teacher, there may be a problem that you need to address.
Take a look at your child’s normal social and academic activities to try and pinpoint any sudden changes within them. If you can’t sort out these behavioral problems at home, there are some programs that focus on managed behavioral health. These programs work with you to pinpoint the source of your child’s behavioral health by offering quality behavioral health care services. Contact your health care provider to see if these services are covered under your medical insurance health plan.
3. Poor Academic Performance
Receiving bad grades is a standard indicator that your child or teen may need help outside of school. One or two poor grades may not require you to raise the alarm bells, but if it becomes a regular occurrence, you should try to get to the bottom of the issue as soon as possible. Many parents don’t understand why their child or teenager might suddenly start receiving bad grades. They often assume that the child doesn’t understand the importance of getting good grades and how it will affect them in the long run.
Don’t think that your child will suddenly start doing better all on their own. You may need to step in. Look into finding your child a tutor or a learning center. Programs like HelloThinkster offer affordable tutoring options for you and your child at every grade level and you can compare them to other programs by looking at Mathnasium reviews.
4. Difficulty With Sleeping or Eating
If your child suddenly develops an aversion to sleeping, there may be a deeper problem at hand. If it’s a younger child, they may be dealing with an unusual amount of anxiety and worry. Young children often want to please their parents in any way they can. If they feel as if they aren’t doing the best they possibly can in school, it may be detrimental to their physical and mental health. The desire to please can create a constant fear of upsetting their parents. If you can’t solve the sleeping or eating issues on your own, you may need to get medical assistance. There are numerous medical programs in the united states that can help you and your child work through these problems.
Older children and teens experiencing high school for the first time may display sleeping and eating problems as well. If you have older children or teens dealing with these issues, they may turn to more extreme methods of dealing with it, such as substance abuse. If you suspect that your teen has a substance use disorder, you need to find the proper substance abuse services to help.
5. Your Child Doesn’t Feel Challenged in School
While most children’s academic problems stem from difficulties with learning and understanding the material they receive in school, some children experience problems in school because they don’t feel challenged. They feel like none of their classes apply to them because everything is too easy, so they don’t bother giving it their full effort. Suddenly your A-plus student is consistently receiving bad grades while simultaneously complaining about being bored at the same time.
As a parent, this can be frustrating to deal with and understand. However, It is vital to get down to the root of the problem. You may have to get your student tested to see if they are in the right grade level. It may also be a good idea to get them involved in advanced classes if they prove to be experiencing poor class performance because they feel like their school work is too easy. They may have a particular need for classes geared more toward their learning speed.
It can be easy as a parent to feel like you are over-involved when it comes to your children, but it’s important to keep an eye on your child’s academic endeavors. Staying on top of your child’s academic performance does not make you a helicopter parent. If you miss even the slightest change in their academic performance, it can lead to a long battle with behavioral problems. These problems can follow them to adulthood and lead to a delayed start in their adult life. Make sure to look out for any of these signs and address them as quickly and carefully as you can.