One of the most important things for many parents is ensuring that their
child has all the support they need so that they are able to reach their
full potential. What many parents don’t realise is that one of the
best support systems a child has is right at home with you. Here at Tutor
Doctor we’ve come up with 10 easy ways that you can help your child
get better grades and fulfill their academic goals and beyond.
Be Interested
It’s crucial that you take a real interest in your child’s
academic progress. Knowing that their education is important to you will
make them realise that it should be important to them too. Make a point
of knowing when school reports are expected and always make the effort
to go to parents evening. The more feedback you can get on how they are
really doing the more you can help them, especially if they have areas
that are weaker than others.
Help them set goals
Setting goals with your child is a great way to help them see realise
their potential and for them to think about what they want to achieve.
Goals also give them something to work towards and realise that they need
to work hard to get there. Remember to recognise their efforts and praise
improvement and accomplishment, no matter how big or small it may be.
Setting up a rewards system is another great little incentive for kids
and will be a great way to encourage them to get better grades.
Encourage Extra Curricular Activities
It’s been proven that kids that take part in extra curricular activities
enjoy school more and generally have a greater academic success. Try and
encourage your child to get involved in after school activities. Whether
they enjoy playing sports, creative writing or learning a foreign language-
there will be a club they can join that will allow them to really thrive.
Offer to help them
Always offer to help your kids with their homework and projects, but remember
don’t do it for them. Help them think out problems and prompt them
to realise the answers themselves. Your support will make all the difference
in their grades, as they will gradually build confidence in their own
academic capabilities.
Listen to your child
Listening is perhaps the easiest way you can help your child. Listen to
how they are getting on at school and what their thoughts are on their
capabilities. Are they telling you that they are struggling in a particular
area or are they really enjoying a specific subject? Embrace what they
tell you and act accordingly.
- If they are struggling, why not think about getting a private tutor to
help them boost their skills and confidence? - If they love a subject why not see if you can encourage them to take it
up outside of school?
Work with the school
Keeping in contact with your child’s school and working with them
is vital if you want them to achieve better grades. Knowing how your child
behaves, reacts, learns and their overall performance will give you a
greater idea of the areas you can work on at home to improve their academic skills.
Avoid Nagging
Avoid nagging your child about homework and grades. It will only make
them tune out and more likely to resist whatever it is that you are nagging
about. Instead talk to your child about why they are avoiding doing their
homework and try and understand the root of the problem.
Have realistic expectations
It’s important that you don’t have expectations that are unrealistic.
Your child needs to see that their goals are achievable; otherwise they
may give up before they have even started. Try setting mini goals with
a larger end goal in sight. This will break it down for them and make
everything appear more achievable and not so overwhelming.
