Ever since our kids have been attending elementary school we have had to reach back in our memory banks just to help our kids with homework. Either we forgot the basics of math, English, and science or we’re just too old and tired to help them.
To be honest, a lot of the stuff they come home with is hard. Hard meaning I probably would not be able to ace it by any means. So how could we install good learning habits with our children and motivate them and set good examples?
Sure I could read a book, go back to school, or hire a tutor, but all takes time and money, something I have little of. What I can do and what I have been doing is to give them encouragement. Doesn’t cost anything and I can do it any time. I could also not flinch when I see their homework assignments. That should be ok for me to do.
Any other suggestions?
The discouraging part is when you do all that you can and they get sub par grades. That really disappoints me in more ways than one. It disappoints me cause I know they are better than that. It disappoints me cause then I feel like a failure for not being smart enough to help them. It disappoints me cause I know it disappoints the teacher. They are probably thinking these kids are not studying at home and/or not paying attention in class.
So what do I do? I limit their gaming and internet access to see if that makes an immediate improvement. If not, then there must be something going on in the class where they are not paying attention. I wasn’t the best at it at 9 years old either, but I expect more from our kids, as all parents do, I assume. There must be something else I’m missing.
We reward our kids for good behavior and for doing their homework, more specifically. At this point, I’m not sure it helps and not sure a bigger reward would do any good. For now I will have to take their word that they will be trying harder at school.
I will continue to have faith and confidence in our kids and teachers and I hope the school system does as well.
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