How to Help Your Children Thrive Academically
As a parent, you’ll always be proud of your children. This means that at the end of the day, the grades on their report cards don’t matter all that much, so long as they have tried their best.
However, as their academic performance can have an impact on everything from their further job prospects to their ability to get into a good college, finding ways to help them thrive academically is important. Read on to find out how!
Help them develop smart study habits
A child’s performance in exams and papers is the culmination of their work inside and outside of the classroom. This means that you should work to help them develop smart study habits from an early age. For example, this could be as simple as encouraging them to spend an hour a day on homework, sitting with them, and supporting them should they need it.
Alternatively, you may want to encourage them to spend around 20 minutes a day discussing what they have learnt, or writing notes and summaries. This is particularly important for teenagers who are preparing for their end-of-year exams, as it helps them to further consolidate their knowledge.
Encourage them to stay away from ChatGPT
It is no surprise that there’s been a huge uptick in the number of students using ChatGPT, with a large number of teens admitting to using the chatbot to write their papers and essays for them. This is alarming in several ways. Firstly, it means that they are not actually putting their knowledge to use or developing new skills. Secondly, it could lead to severe consequences further down the line.
As such, you should encourage your child to stay away from these tools when working on papers or studying. That being said, there are many useful alternatives to ChatGPT that they can use to expand upon their studies. This includes Perplextiy, which can be used to generate summaries of larger or confusing bodies of text, making sure that they really understand their assigned reading.
Show an interest in their studies
A recent report found that “students whose parents stay involved in school have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills and adapt better to school.” As such, showing an interest in their studies or what they are learning can make a real difference in terms of their academic performance. Try to ask two or three easy questions each day about what your child has learned in school, prompting them to provide you with as much information as possible. Try to ask questions that allow for deep, considered answers where you can.
For example, if they mentioned studying a specific historical period in class, ask them what it would have been like to live during that time. This encourages them to think a little deeper about the subject, while also making for an interesting conversation at the dinner table.
Encourage them to read for fun
While reading often gets a bad rap among children and young people, it can play an incredible role in enhancing their academic performance. This is because it expands their vocabulary while also heightening their reading comprehension skills. It also encourages them to be more imaginative and to think outside the box!
One way to encourage your child to start reading for fun is by letting them pick out the books they’d like to read. They spend so much time in school being told what to do that pushing books into their hand (even if you know you’ll love them) is unlikely to have the desired effect. This also allows them to find out more about topics that they are genuinely interested in. You can also encourage your child to read more by leading by example. The more they see their parents reading, the more likely they are to pick up a book for themselves.
Encourage participation in hobbies
While their performance at school is important, it should not be the core focus of your child’s life. They should also be allowed (and encouraged) to dedicate time to their hobbies, interests, and, of course, relaxing. This will actually improve their performance at school, as they will feel much more focused and less burned out.
Again, the best way to encourage your child to remain engaged in their hobbies is to put them in the driving seat. Don’t assume that they’ll love to dance because it was something you enjoyed as a child. Ask them what extracurriculars they’d like to try out, and then keep an eye out for local classes or programs that they can join. Be mindful of the fact that they may switch hobbies regularly as they grow!
Consider hiring a tutor
If your child is struggling with a specific topic or feels as though they are falling behind in the classroom, hiring a private tutor to work with them a few times a week can also be useful. This will provide them with the one-on-one guidance they need to truly thrive moving forward, while also increasing their confidence. This means that they will be more likely to engage or answer questions in class, as they will be less fearful of making mistakes or getting something wrong.
In short, there are many steps that you can take as a parent that will help your child to thrive academically. This includes encouraging them to use AI as a study support tool rather than an essay writing device, and providing them with access to an academic tutor should they need one.
However, you should also let them know that you are proud of them no matter what. This will not only improve their confidence levels, but it will also leave them feeling empowered to put their all into what they do. This is because they will not believe that you’ll think any less of them should they perform badly in an exam or paper, meaning they’ll feel much more focused and relaxed moving forward.
This is a collaborative post.
