Is Your Child Bored in School? Why Smart Kids Fail Classes and Get Detention
If you ask the average child what they learned in school today, they will answer, “I don’t know.” Of course, we know that they learn dozens of new things every day, but kids often have a difficult time talking about new information. If you press them, they might say something like, “We learned about bears,” but that’s about as far as most children will go: they often report that school is “hard” or “boring.” What we have to do as parents is to make learning exciting, something that they can’t wait to do. Life is so full of teachable moments and learning opportunities that we just have to help our children translate the word “difficulty” into “opportunity.”
One way that parents can keep up with what their children are learning is to schedule regular conferences with their children’s teachers: it can be tough to coordinate schedules for regular meetings, which is why most schools now offer parents the option to see their children’s homework assignments online. Simply get a username and password from the school, log in, and see which homework assignments your children forgot to bring home. Kids are all the same: from kindergarten to 12th grade, their primary motivation is to see what kind of boundaries we will set for them as parents – and which ones we’ll uphold and defend.
Private schools and public schools alike want their students to feel excited about learning, but what should you do if you have a reluctant reader or writer? Kids who struggle to read in kindergarten should have their vision tested and be tested for dyslexia. It’s important for parents to diagnose any learning differences as early as possible so their children can be shifted into the proper learning track. There are millions of brilliant children around the world who started off having trouble with dyslexia or dyspraxia: it’s up to us to make sure that kids get the help that they need.
What is exciting about children’s hobbies is the way that they can enhance their learning adventure: if a child in kindergarten has a great time in art class, their parents can encourage them at home or send them to a special summer camp that focuses on art. Parents who notice that their children have a special interest — an educational topic that still registers as “fun” — they can look for learning materials online. Many cities have dance classes for children as young as preschool or kindergarten. If your child is interested in building birdhouses or bookcases, many home improvement stores offer beginner classes for tiny carpenters and mini architects.
If your child is genuinely stressed out about learning and they’re not having fun at school, talk to their teachers. Is there bullying in the classroom? Do they need to bring more snacks for lunch to maintain their energy levels? Ask their teacher how they think that you can make learning more fun: there are reluctant readers who enjoy audio books and children who really struggle with writing who love to read. There are many learning styles and just as many learning options. Children may not speak up at first about their favorite school topics, but parents will find that gradually, most kids will start to talk about their school day – and what subjects they love the most.
Once children get into middle school, they can go to themed sleepaway summer camps. There are camps available for dance enthusiasts, artists, scientists, and archers. Some children may never really cozy up to their school curriculum but may bloom on the soccer field. Other children would live in a library if they could and gladly skip gym until they graduate from high school. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to help each child find their passion. Children are born with their own personalities, health experts report, and it is essential to work with kids to find areas where they readily excel.