Your kids may not be the only ones approaching the start of a new school year with a pit in their stomachs. The start of school also means the end of parents’ vacation from contending nightly with the right way to help their kids with their work (while we still do our own, which never seems to get a 3-month hiatus, strangely)…

In anticipation, we turned to the experts at Scholastic, who’ve found that if your child struggles with schoolwork, he or she likely fits one of these personality types. Find the one that sounds familiar and read on for some great tips to start the year right:
   
“The Perfectionist”

“The Perfectionist” sounds like the ideal child, but for a kid for whom nothing less than THE BEST is acceptable, anxiety and frustration can run rampant. To keep that perfectionist streak from becoming too extreme:

• Let her know it’s okay to make mistakes. Share your own stumbles from school daysà and reassure your child that when she’s really stumped, being uncertain and asking the teacher for help the next morning is okay.
• Set the right example. Make sure you’re not sending a mixed message yourself. (If you slide into crisis mode when you overcook dinner or the computer eats one of your files, you can’t expect your child to handle problems with serenity).
• Praise effort, not grades. Set a standard that is good enough ù but not unrealistic. Unless your child knows you appreciate and love her for who she is and what she accomplishes, she may forever feel one-down by comparison.
• Round out her world. Counter the perfectionist child’s belief that every minute must be spent doing something productive by giving her time to doà absolutely nothing.

    
“The Procrastinator”

“The Procrastinator” finds 1,001 things to do before he actually sits down and starts his homework. Why? It could be a simple lack of organization, or more instrinsic sense of doubt about his ability. And then there are those who simply thrive on the pressure of a tight deadline. Whatever the cause, to help procrastinate- proof your child:

• Step out of the line of fire.  Leave the issuing of orders and consequences to the school. (Tempting as it is, if you rush to his rescue either by doing his homework or writing an excuse to the teacher, your procrastinator learns that his tactics will ultimately be rewarded).
• Help him set goals he can meet.  Getting started is the hardest part for a procrastinator, so show him how to structure his time. A book report in three weeks? Pencil each step into the plan book or calendar.
• Involve your child in his homework schedule.   Hammer out a study routine you can both live with ù and give him select choices (i.e. “You can watch this show first, but then it’s work time”).
• Turn homework time into family time. (A favorite Executive Moms tip):  bring home your own work or even pay bills while your child studies ù doing it together can be a motivator.

 
“The Underachiever”

Parents of underachievers often hear the lament “I’m dumb” or “It’s just too hard” from their perfectly capable kids. This tends to kick in particularly around fourth or fifth grade, when the workload intensifies. To get your child over their underachieving ways:

• Boost her confidence.  At this age, kids begin to compare themselves to others, and may find themselves wanting. Put self-criticism into perspective by reminding her of her strengths… and be careful not to make comparison to older siblings.
• Challenge “horribilizing.”   Teach her to dispute pessimistic thoughts (“I messed up the test à I’m never going to do well”) with accurate, specific information, to put disappointments into perspective.
• Be a cheerleader.   Remind her that good things don’t just happen. She got an A on last month’s math test ù not because she was lucky, but because she worked hard and deserved it.
• Ask about what she’s learning.  Show interest in the work she brings home. If she sees that you think it’s important, she’ll think so, too.

 
If tips like these don’t do the trick…

It makes sense of course, to work with your child’s teachers and the school’s counselors to assess for a learning disability or to map out a more personalized plan of action. In the meantime, you can learn more about how to help your child at scholastic.com… in particular, we like their “Homework Hub” as a great resource center to make homework easier and more fun (no matter what their personality type).

Check out the Homework Hub on scholastic.com
 
   
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