my child does not apply herself, how can i help her?

Question

I want to buy my 10 year old daughter with suffering grades a Christmas present that will help her start applying herself. What can I do to make her enjoy school and earn higher grades? Help, please!

Answer 1

First, I'd talk to my daughter and find out just what she is uncomfortable with in school. Then, I'd talk with her teacher. Then, I'd talk with her father and discuss a plan of options. A 10 year old is all about independence and learning responsibility. They NEED to feel like they are making important decisions....

How about you and she deciding how much time each day should be set aside for homework. Don't give her carte blanche options, give her a multiple choice: A) one hour each night; b.) 1 1/2 hours; c) 2 hours. Also talk and discuss what will happen if her grades improve. Perhaps some Mom & Daughter quality time together - going out for a pizza, just you and she. Going shopping at her favorite store. Helping her gain more independence by helping her find a job and supporting her - babysitting or minding a neighbor's child while they are home, shovelling snow for a neighbor, helping to learn how to do laundry and paying her an allowance when she does her own.......
This is also an excellent time to teach her about community service, volunteerring and giving back. Perhaps there is some group or organization you BOTH could give some time to.

A lot of the time it's not just that school stinks, or it is boring or the teacher is mean.... She is a pre-teen and it's a tough time in her life. She wants you to let her go, but still wants your reassurance that you are there to catch her if she falls.

Hope this helps. Good luck!!

Answer 2

You could always get your daughter a really fun-looking, engaging planner or an interactive book about organization.

I wrote my graduate studies' thesis on motivation, and would suggest that you try to figure out which necessary component for motivation is missing so that you can help your child...the four pieces are:

* interest (make it fun for her)
* confidence (knowing she CAN do it)
* relevence (her understanding WHY she is learning what she is studying and how it will be used in the future)
* choice (is the teacher allowing her to make some decisions in the projects/activities through which she is learning?)

If you can identify what is missing, you may be able to team up with the teacher and your daughter to help her. In my years of teaching, when a student was lacking motivation in school, all I had to do was figure out which component was missing, and fix it from there. Worked like a charm - every time!

Best of luck to you and I hope this helped. :o)

Answer 3

Get her tested. Maybe she needs to be in a grade ahead or a grade behind, or just more interesting classes.
I was skipped ahead; worked for me. The only problem then is, you're shorter than everyone else. Talk seriously to her teacher(s).

Answer 4

Educational computer games, science experiment kits, high interest educational books (they have classics in comic book form). Take a few ideas of what she's interestd in (even have her make a list) and go to a teachers store; they'll have lots of ideas.

Answer 5

Good educational computer games a computer or laptop good books to read.

Answer 6

ok here what alway help me get $2 all in dimes (10c) and when she dose not apply her self take one away after 2 week then she get that money but can get any back

Answer 7

Bribe her with expensive gifts. She will be so excited that she will start to work very hard.

Answer 8

there is nothing that you can buy that will make her interested in school. it is all about attitude.