UNSATISFACTORY Report Card and How to Support your Child!
Nothing affects a parent more than witnessing their child’s distress due to poor performance in school. Every parent reacts differently due to the stress, and some respond with frustration while others offer comfort and hope. Regardless as a parent, our first thought after we have allowed our emotions to relax, (I often use in my parent coaching the 3-day rule) is that poor performance in school is not the end of the world and that with the right strategies, you can help them achieve better results. The overall goal of a report card is to highlight potential areas of problem in your child’s school progress but does not represent the child’s worth or your parenting abilities.
At Kids on the Yard, we believe that children’s academic skills and performance can improve by equipping them with suitable resilience tools, creating purposeful desires, self-worth, and empathy. We also understand that different children have different capabilities, and therefore individualized and personalized support is key for both your child’s academic and personal growth.
How Do You Support Your Child After Bringing Home an Unsatisfactory Report Card?
BE CALM and AVOID LECTURING your CHILD
Expressing extreme frustration and or lecturing your child for their poor performance will not produce a positive outcome you actually truly desire. This form of reaction can only put them on a defensive mechanism causing the issue to get out of hand. Such reactions can also cause the child to hide their report card in the future. Instead, it would help if you showed empathy by reminding the child that we are human, and therefore, failure and disappointments are bound to happen. Being empathetic does not mean that you are encouraging your child to perform below expectation or capacity, but it shows that you care about them and their process. Expressing empathy first also does not mean there are no actions that need to occur to create change and find a solution or even establish consequences but rather your start from the heart and solve from there.
At Kids at Yard, we believe that the evolution of families can evolve into a dream of fulfillment through teamwork. Have a candid conversation with the child to understand their struggles and use this information to determine the best way to offer support. It would be best to explore the child’s feelings towards school and what they think of themselves as learners. Check if they are experiencing some form of frustration, stress, or negative self-talk. Understanding the root cause of poor performance will guide a parent to find the best learning solution. Remember, well-qualified life coaches and tutors, are designed to improve and master skills that can improve report cards.
HELP YOUR CHILD BUILD RESILIENCY POST DISAPPOINTMENT IN SCHOOL
We at Kids at the Yard have realized through a research-based study that most emotional struggles begin in childhood. As such, it is essential to help your child deal with challenging moments. While our life coaches can significantly and successfully help your child handle poor performance, you can also play a significant role in their resilience-building.
Please encourage your child to talk it out, whether positive or negative and acknowledge them. As adults, we as adults know that some of our greatest adversary and disappointment in life has turned into our greatest blessings. By developing the idea and understanding that their strength far outweighs any issue at hand. Lastly, understand that failing or struggling in school is not a sign of weakness and that it is okay to ask for help. Finally, letting the child know that they are not stuck and has room for improvement and budling internal resilience.
FOCUS ON PROFICIENCY OVER PERFECTION
Every child can become a lifelong learner. Some students perform averagely in academic work yet excel in athletes, music, or art; whatever the subject, the aim is always to learn. As a parent, you should understand your child’s strengths and focus on them. Rather than the only goal is to strive to get your child to improve their grades, add the desire to be proficient academically and in social-emotional learning. This will ensure that they develop lifelong skills that include critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. Remember, self-improvement and performance change will not happen within a day; it will take time, patience, and effort.
Lastly! Our Team of Experts Is Looking Forward to Working With Your Child!
At Kits at the Yard, we understand that an UNSATISFACTORY report card does not determine the full scoop of your child’s future. Therefore, we shall use our Whole Child TUTORING Approach to assist your struggling child to build rapport, boost their confidence, and master academic skills that will help them to thrive as learners. We shall also evaluate the child’s academic strengths, determine areas that require growth, and learn about their interests and learning abilities to guide their progress academically effectively. We will create a customized program to fit your child’s academic needs.
