How to Help Your Child Deal with Poor Results and Regain Confidence
Getting poor results at school can be a major blow for children. They may lose confidence in themselves and even stop trying to achieve good marks. The way parents handle poor results has a huge impact on how children react.
Parents who become angry and critical only make the problem worse. It’s very important to approach poor results in a constructive way that allows your child to regain confidence.
These tips will help you manage poor results in a positive manner.
Keep Poor Results in Perspective
A disappointing result or report card isn’t the end of the world. When you’re upset and angry it’s easy to blow things out of proportion. Remember, it’s only one result or report, and your child has plenty of time to make up for it. Overreacting can cause your child to become anxious, and this will negatively impact their performance at school.
Use It as a Learning Experience
Look on poor results as an opportunity to teach your child how negative situations can be used as stepping-stones to future success. Wait till you’re calm and talk about what went wrong. Really listen to your child in a non-judgemental way to try to identify the issue. If they didn’t complete their assignments or study enough, help them come up with strategies to perform better next time. Sometimes poor marks are the result of underlying problems like bullying. Talking is the best way to get to the bottom of these problems.
Talk to Your Child’s Teacher
Kids with learning issues won’t be able to identify why they haven’t done well, which is why you also need to also talk to your child’s teachers. They will be able to give advice about what you can do to help. When your child sees how seriously you take their education, it will boost their confidence and inspire them to try harder.
Provide a Good Learning Environment
Does your child have a quiet and well organised place at home to study? Do you allow them to have their devices with them when they’re supposed to be doing homework? Do you monitor them to ensure they’re staying on task and check that homework’s been completed? It’s vital for parents to provide a good learning environment and to take an interest in what kids are doing at school. This gives them the incentive to do well.
Acknowledge Improvements in Marks
When your child has lost confidence, you need to help rebuild it. Acknowledge improvements, even if it’s only by a few marks, but don’t focus too heavily on rewards. You want your child to see learning as an enjoyable and enriching end in itself. Be realistic in your expectations and find other areas outside of school to offer praise and reinforcement.
Consider Hiring a Tutor
If your child is struggling to keep up in class or has learning issues, a tutor might be the best option. A tutor can help kids feel more confident by providing an individualised learning plan which addresses specific problems. Working with a tutor also helps kids develop the confidence to ask questions and speak up in class.
Kids need support to deal with poor results and regain confidence.