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Q: My 10-year-old son is having a very hard time in school. He's in Grade 5 and I just got his report card today -- not good. I would love some advice on how to make his learning easier, especially in math. He feels really bad about his grades and I don't want him to give up. He's a very bright boy, but schoolwork always seems to be a challenge for him. Are their any exercises or tricks I can do at home to help him along? I'm even going to start leaving work earlier to be able to help him with his homework. I'm not the smartest person and I'm having a hard time myself with some of his work.
A: First of all, I'm really sorry that your son is struggling at school. He is one of too many boys his age that are. Teachers, researchers, educational leaders and parents are aware of this problem and are trying to find ways of responding that will make a difference for boys. Your question about how to make his learning easier is an important one.
Isn't it hard being a parent and feeling the pain for and about your child? If only all of life's bumps and mishaps could be easily fixed. We hurt when our kids are discouraged and disappointed. We feel out of control when it's in a domain that we can't really understand.
You have to be a detective and find out what the real problem is. You have observed your child -- when does he get the most frustrated? What does he think the problem is? What is easy for him, what is difficult? Does he have too much difficult homework? What are his work habits like at home? Is he healthy? Are his eyes and ears healthy? Is he getting enough sleep and proper nutrition? Silly questions you say, but.not so. Emotional and physical health are directly connected to success in school. Kids also do better when parents are there to support them, so your move to spend more time with him is a great one! You are a caring mom!
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