For many children, school takes up a good chunk of their young lives, and much of their attention and brain-power as well. Each child will have their own unique school experiences, and of course their own opinions and feelings about school. It may feel disheartening for some parents to hear their children complaining about something they may not have too much control over, but there are ways in which parents can help by simply listening.
Obstacles and Challenges
Kids are learning new things every day, and sometimes children can feel overwhelmed by not only the information that they are expected to learn and understand, but the tasks, assignments and necessary studying that they need to complete as well. Depending on how old your child is and what grade they are in, the problem may differ. Younger children may not be able to vocalize the exact source of their frustration, but it helps to weigh in with their teacher about it. Your child may be distracted, fidgety, or have another problem such as a learning or attention deficit problem that needs to be addressed. Sometimes it could be something as simple as who they are sitting next to or how much energy they have. For older children, finding the root cause may be easier. Your child may be able to point out a specific topic, homework assignment, skill or concept that is difficult for them. From there, you can set up supplemental study sessions, look into buying supplementary material, go to the library with them, or have them enrolled in after-school tutoring or study-buddy programs to help.
Teacher Woes
Hearing that your child does not like their teacher can be tricky. It’s important that you ask your child to explain where their dislike or frustration comes from because this will help you reach a solution. Maybe the teacher assigns too much homework, or has the class participate in activities or games that your child may not be fond of. If the issue is more personal, then it is important that you look into the matter further by setting up a meeting with the teacher and another school administrator. It’s important that parents gain some perspective and get the teacher’s point of view before moving forward with a solution in order to avoid any misunderstandings or other problems.
Morning Maladies
Though children tend to get up earlier than teenagers, not every child is the same, and some kids may have difficulties finding the energy to get ready and go to school in the morning. Feeling a little grumpy and groggy is normal – and let’s admit adults would rather shut their alarm clock up than actually get ready for work in the morning. But some kids may be especially tired, unhappy and unfocused in the morning. This can prevent them from doing well in school because they are not capable of giving their complete attention, but it can also be the sign of something more serious.
First, parents should examine their evening/bedtime, morning/wakeup routine. There may be a reason why your child isn’t sleeping well, causing them to get inadequate rest. But while tiredness can come from not sleeping well, it can also be the result of not eating well, too. Making sure that your children eat a balanced diet is vital, but many kids, and adults, fail to eat complete breakfasts due to busy schedules. Make sure you and your family are getting the sleep and the nutrients you need.
It’s important that parents listen to what their children have to say, and if they are complaining about something it is important that you find the root cause before telling them to do anything or jumping to conclusions about it. Some kids may have legitimate issues and complaints. Other children may be using complaints to cover up other problems, such as issues with classmates or even a learning disorder that they may not understand or feel embarrassed of. If you hear your child complaining about school, it’s important that you listen but also that you investigate the cause.
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