Help Your Child Rebound from Low Grades
It’s natural to be upset if your child brings home a low grade. But showing your frustration and anger won’t result in better performance. A more effective approach is to:
· Put grades into perspective. Low grades can drain students’ confidence. Make sure your middle schooler knows that grades are not a measure of a student’s worth.
· Focus on the positive. Talk about what your child has done well—in an academic subject or an extracurricular activity. Ask, “What are you most proud of?”
· Look behind the grade. Low grades indicate a problem. What does your child think the problem is? Sometimes it’s not academic ability, but poor study habits or test anxiety.
· Set realistic goals for improvement. Don’t expect all A’s if your child is currently getting all C’s.
· Contact teachers. Sometimes, students try their best and still fail. Or, they blame teachers for their troubles. Gather more information by asking teachers for their opinion about what’s happening.
Reprinted with permission from the November 2025 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® newsletter. Copyright © 2025 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.