3 Reasons Your Child isn’t Doing Well in School (and How to Help Them)

One of the main concerns of most parents is if their child is doing well in school. Although some children naturally perform well, others may fall behind and struggle with the material that is taught. If you want to help your child improve their ability to learn and test better, it's essential to understand a few reasons they may not be delivering their best.

They’ve Become a Perfectionist

More children are becoming perfectionists, whichcan cause them to set too high of a standard for themselves as they spend time at school. They may not have a realistic mindset on how well to perform and can put too much pressure on themselves to achieve perfect scores on all of their work. Many times, parents are responsible for influencing their perfectionist mindset and may need to make certain adjustments in the home or how they communicate with the child to alleviate some of the pressure. One thing you can do to help your child is to help them set realistic expectations for themselves. Children who are perfectionists often set unrealistic goals for themselves and are disappointed when they don’t achieve them. You should let them know that while it’s nice to have perfect grades, it isn’t necessary. Helping them to set realistic goals will help them to be less stressed about being perfect.

Medical Reasons

Some children can learn and retain information well in the classroom but are affected by medical issues that they suffer over time. Some kids may not yet be diagnosed with dyslexia, which is a learning disorder that can make it difficult to read. A sedentary lifestyle may also be the cause. Kids need exercise to properly function to maintain their physical and mental health. Their vision may also be the cause of why they fail to understand the information that is taught.There are many eye problems that can affect children and make it a challenge to focus on work. School can be quite confusing if you can’t even see what the teacher is writing on the whiteboard. You can help by having the child physically evaluated by a medical professional to identify any potential causes for their lack of performance. 

Bullying

Bullying also negatively affects academic performance, which affects the student's self-esteem and ability to thrive. If children are teased, called names, or suffer from physical violence, then they can have difficulty feeling happy and focusing in the classroom. If this is a problem for your child, you can help by speaking to teachers and the school staff to ensure bullying is carefully monitored and that the necessary disciplinary actions are taken. Creating a safe and healthy environment can allow the student to feel protected and more comfortable attending school. 

Not doing well in school can be frustrating for children and parents but is something that can easily be resolved. If your child isn't doing well in school, then you'll need to act quickly to discover the underlying cause. By determining why they fail to succeed, it can help you to make adjustments or provide a better support system as they grow and develop.