First and foremost, talk to your child. Ask questions; find out what is happening in their world. Are they bored? Is the teacher giving them the motivation, help and guidance they need? Are they being teased or bullied? The things that you don't see or hear about may be a major contributing factor as to why your child is having problems.
Asking lead in questions can give you a great insight to what is happening in your child's school environment. If there is a problem you can make an appointment with the school principal to address your concerns. If there are serious problems, changing schools, enrolling in a private school or maybe even home schooling may be a more favorable solution.
Could your child have a learning disability? This is often overlooked as many parents prefer not to think their child may have some form of learning disability. Attention Deficit Disorder, dyslexia, the inability to read, write or even do simple arithmetic are common disabilities found in children. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology at least 1 in 10 children are affected by some form of learning disability.
There are many qualified professionals in every city that can diagnose your child. Most employers these day offer family assistance programs as part of a benefits package, so getting your child diagnosed can possibly not cost you a cent. At the very least doing research at your local library or on the internet can provide you some tools to help you identify if your child shows signs or symptoms of a possible disability.
Try different approaches to helping your child learn. Play learning games with them. Use flash cards or games that require spelling or doing math. There are learning CDs for the computer for kids of all ages. More and more interactive DVDs are coming on the market all the time. Your child may just need a more fun and stimulating way to learn the basics. Remember back when you were a child, how did you learn your ABCs ? Are you singing it in your mind right now?
Lastly and certainly not least, be a positive influence in your child's life. Be their coach, mentor and yes their parent. Discipline and fear motivation rarely correct any problems, in most cases it makes it worse. Build your child's confidence you will see the difference.
Every parent wants the best for their child, do whatever it takes to ensure your child's future is a bright one.
