As the mom of two sons, I know endless jumping, drumming and spinning leaves even the most serene parent gasping for oxygen. Holy Hyperactivity, I know it well.
All of us can recall moments we were beyond bored in school. Maybe it was when that long-winded science teacher with a monotone read directly from the textbook. Or during that math unit when associative, commutative and identity properties failed to thrill you. Remember? Exciting stuff! Of course you can relate. But if your child is whining, “I’m bored,” it’s possible the B-word may not be the real issue at all. Sometimes boredom actually masks disinterest, academic struggle, lack of challenge or conflict with a teacher. In turn, such obstacles to learning may trigger underachievement, low grades or a diminished self-image.
There are many students who put off work until the last minute. Although their reasons vary, one thing is for sure - procrastinators underestimate the time it will take to complete their work and overestimate how much time is available to do it. When procrastination impacts academics, students need parental intervention in order to change the behaviors that are limiting their success.
School-struggling can be very debilitating for a family. Tensions rise as the patterns of avoidance and non-compliance emerge as the school year progresses. Parents can feel quite hopeless and directionless relative to the mounting school problems.
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