Understanding and Dealing with School Issues with Your Child

It’s disturbing when the school calls and asks why your child hasn’t been in school lately when you know she’s heading off to school everyday. It’s also frustrating when your child’s teacher calls to let you know that she is being disruptive in class or isn’t cooperating.

As parents, we never want to think that our child would act that way but even the best kids have problems they don’t know how to deal with that can cause bad behavior. All is not lost. Here are the three most common school issues your child might be facing this year and ways to get your child back on track.

Falling Grades

Your child might not excel in every subject in school, and that is understandable. Maybe your child does well in geography but doesn’t quite get math. Possibly science is your child’s forte but has a hard time with English courses. You have watched your child’s report card through the years and you can see the pattern. That’s normal.

If your child’s grades start slipping in all classes then you’ve got something to watch out for. When a child who for years has gotten A’s and B’s all of a sudden starts getting D’s and F’s, you really need to look at the situation. If your child is flunking tests, not completing work and is going from a pretty good student overall to a failing student, you definitely know there is a problem.

You may find an easy solution to the problem such as spending more time on homework or hiring a tutor for any subject your child needs help with. If your child is simply less interested in good grades, he or she may need incentives to study. Maybe your child is more interested in hanging out with friends or playing video games than in homework. In a case like this, a rewards program for good grades would be the perfect incentive for a child.  Bring your grades up and get time with your friends or to play a video game but if you let your grades slide then no friends or games. When grades just don’t seem important, rewards and incentives are a great motivator.

Poor grades can be a sign of various things. Starting with some of the obvious reasons may take care of the issue.  If the problem persists, talk to your school counselor, family doctor or other trusted professional. You will need to get to the bottom of what’s bothering your child’s, no matter how disturbing the answers may be.

Disrupting the Class

Behaviors that disrupt the classroom can come from many places. Your child simply may not understand the classroom rules or the classwork. Your child many not like the teacher. Other children at school may be creating situations which your child doesn’t have the tools to deal with. Problems with friends or even at home may be weighing heavily on your child’s mind. Diet and health may also play a part in a child’s behavior.

These concerns are very real to your child and can make her act out in ways she normally wouldn’t. Identifying the trigger is the first step. Watch your child closely and get support from your child’s school administration and teachers. Talk to your child and ask the hard questions even though you many not like the answers you get. It’s so important for you to learn what’s behind the behavior so you can find a solution and eliminate your child’s fear.

Developmental disorders such as Autism or ADHD will present special challenges. You will need professional help to handle the special needs in a situation that presents too much stress. Sit down with your child’s doctor and teacher to set up a plan for when your child gets overwhelmed. For a child with these issues, you will need not only a good plan but also a solid support system. Disruptive behavior is simply unacceptable no matter what the cause. Learning how to react and respond is part of getting along in the world. Your job as a parent is to find the tools you need to help your child do just that.

Truancy Problems

If truancy is an ongoing issue, you might have to take a strong stance and require that your child check in with someone at the school every morning. Ask the school to call you immediately if your child misses any class or does not show up at all.

Let your child know that you always love him or her, but you now have to check up throughout the day to verify their activity. Even though your child won’t like it you need to stick to your guns and let your child know that this is a consequence from his or her own actions. The freedom to come and go without checking in is a luxury and has been lost by skipping school.

You may be able to stop the issues temporarily by following these tactics but you need to get to the bottom of why your child isn’t attending school. There are always underlying reasons. It could be something as simple as not understanding math and feeling intimidated. But, it may be something as serious as being bullied. If this is the case, you need to take action immediately to remedy the situation. Start with the school administration and move on from there until you get results to your satisfaction.

For every child of all levels of maturity, and physical and emotional challenges, learning how to respond to outside influences is a part of the educational process. It’s your job to help your child learn how to respond. Coping in school prepares your child for the outside world.  Take steps to ensure that these common problems don’t keep your child from having a amazing and successful school year.