If your child is struggling at school, it can be an immediate concern for parents. But failing grades are often a sign for action rather than panic. Parents can use proven steps like communicating with teachers, assessing any health factors that could be contributing, and building healthy study habits to improve the situation. This guide explores the red flags to watch out for and what you can do to help your child get back on track.
Academic Red Flags to Watch For
According to Harvard’s Jennifer Lewis, “Loss can be like a ‘compounding debt.’ Missing skills early can snowball and cause bigger problems later on. Spotting the early signs that your child is struggling can help you intervene before the situation gets worse. Here are some common signs to watch out for:
- Missing assignments
- Low quiz scores
- Reluctance to attend school
- Excessive forgetfulness with homework
- Teacher notes on disorganization and poor focus
- Clumsiness
- Bedwetting recurrence
Your child may complain about feeling “dumb,” especially if they have existing conditions like ADHD that make them sensitive to sensory issues. Chronic absenteeism affected 31% of students in 2022-23. This was a major barrier to learning.
Understanding the Root Causes of Academic Failure
There are many reasons your child may be struggling at school more than usual. Academic failure often stems from medical, environmental, or motivational issues. Factors range from ADHD, dyslexia, sleep apnea, or in-utero exposures to home conflicts, lack of study skills, or simply being uninterested in classes. After the COVID-19 pandemic, 73% of 4th graders had lower reading scores than pre-pandemic, and many report moderate to severe learning loss. For teens, overwhelming tasks or competing priorities like extracurriculars can lead to apathy.
Step 1: Stay Calm and Avoid Emotional Reactions
The first step is to stay calm. Reacting with anger will only block progress. Instead, create a safe space to have a productive talk with your child. Acknowledge their emotions without blame. Focus on solutions like setting small goals to build up their confidence. For example, this could be managing 30 minutes of study in one subject every day.
This can help build more of a growth mindset, where you can use their failure as a learning opportunity. Kids who develop a growth mindset often improve after making mistakes. Experts advise ensuring you allow enough downtime with snacks and play before you start a homework routine after school. This gives the child time to relax and unwind after the stress of the school day.
Step 2: Gather Complete Information from All Sources
Check your child’s grades, assignments, and attendance before you make an assumption about what is causing the issue. Talk to your child about any challenges they may be struggling with, and then cross-check by talking to siblings or friends to see if you can spot any patterns like undiagnosed issues. Keep track of the specifics. Look out for huge homework volumes, if they may be struggling with writing, or if they are taking longer to adapt, which could be a sign of a deeper problem like ADHD. Many students have not yet recovered to their full potential after the pandemic.
Step 3: Schedule Emergency Conferences with Teachers
The third step is to involve your child’s teachers and the school to identify the root cause of the problem. Ask to have a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible and bring your child along to make sure everyone is aligned on how to move forward. Discuss any possible interventions like peer tutoring, study skills training, or desk adjustments if needed to remove distractions.
Prepare questions in advance. Think about how to monitor progress and accommodations, and when you should review them to make sure they are working. Work together on suggestions, such as allowing extra time on tests or tailored assignments. Teachers note that consistent family conferences help your child feel more supported.
Step 4: Assess Your Child’s Physical and Mental Well-being
The final step, if you have not gotten to the bottom of the problem, is to consider whether there are any developmental issues that could be contributing to the problem. Rule out health barriers by scheduling checkups for vision, sleep, nutrition, or anxiety. This can also involve scheduling a specialized evaluation to see whether your child may be struggling with issues like ADHD or autism. Understanding what your child is dealing with is the best way to determine the accommodations and support they need.
Create a safe routine. Plan earlier bedtimes, give them enough protein snacks, and make sure they take movement breaks to improve focus before doing their homework. To keep your child motivated, consider setting short-term goals tied to their particular interests, like study groups. Use positive reinforcement. Celebrate their efforts to work on improving their grades.
How to Motivate a Teenager to Get Good Grades
Dealing with teenagers requires a slightly different approach than with younger children. Teens respond better to controllable actions as opposed to vague pressure over bad grades. Encourage grit by arranging daily study sessions or setting specific ‘office hours’. Check their exams or test papers for any subjects they may be struggling with and discuss any mistakes with them in a positive and non-judgmental way.
Use planners for Pomodoro-style study blocks, focus on reducing any potential distractions (such as TV or cell phones), and make tasks more enjoyable by using flashcards. If your teen is struggling with bad grades, you can help them cope better by normalizing talking about their struggles, avoiding any criticism, and praising them for persevering.
Contact NeuroHealth for Tips on How to Help a Student Who is Struggling
If your child has persistent struggles, it may be time to get a specialized evaluation at NeuroHealth Arlington Heights. Our team can assess whether your child is dealing with ADHD, dyslexia, and cognitive issues, and can recommend school accommodations and strategies to cope with them. The key is to act quickly so you can put plans in place to help them improve. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Image by sean Kong is licensed with Unsplash License
