It’s important to always pay attention to our children. Not only to what they are saying verbally, but to what they may be telling us through their day-to-day actions.
This is also important when it comes to how they are doing in school. It is difficult for parents to know when their children are struggling in school without paying close attention to verbal and nonverbal clues.
You child may want help and simply be unsure of how to ask for it. Or maybe they aren’t aware that they need help.
In order to avoid waiting on your child to ask for help, pay attention to these five signs your child may be struggling in school.
Your child doesn’t want to go to school. If your child’s attitude about going to school takes an unusual turn and all of a sudden he/she is looking for excuses not to attend, whether it be a “sickness” (headache, tummy ache, etc.) or a consistent trend of complaints about a teacher or classmate, there may be a deeper issue at hand.
Distant or depressed behavior. Is your child showing a lower level of energy and becoming lethargic around school time? Are they unwilling or unable to talk about things going on in the classroom? These are often telling signs.
Sudden increase in misbehavior. Whether or not your child has a history of occasionally getting in trouble, or has never officially gotten in trouble in school, an increase in this type of bad behavior can signal frustration due to an inability to understand subject matter or even a lashing out due to bullying that is going untold.
Your child says they are bored at school. This can come from reasons such as an inability to understand subject matter or the lack of a challenging curriculum. No matter which side of the spectrum your child is on, boredom and it’s roots should be addressed.
Changes in friends and/or activities. Did your child recently quit doing something (bike riding after school, playing basketball, etc.) they used to do a lot? Does he or she have a new friend or group of friends that is always around and you no longer see the old group of friends?
Here are some helpful links to deal with a child that is struggling in school:
