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Hey, I'm Schoolchild Helpmate!
New York, New York
Why does a child not want to do homework?
The child is behind in the programme
How's that? Note that we are not looking at the cases where a child doesn't want to do maths, for example, but reads history willingly. Because there are many more reasons why a pupil avoids a particular subject at school. Maybe he or she doesn't like it or finds it difficult. We consider only the situation where a child postpones doing any homework, and if you force him to, his mood drops dramatically, tears and lamentation may begin.
Why can your child have gaps in all subjects, and the learning outcomes are worse than those of his classmates? He may have been sick for a long time, he may have skipped classes, he generally needs a slower pace of learning and extra explanations, and his parents don't have time for that. Perhaps the pupil has changed schools or moved from primary school to basic school and the requirements are higher here? Ideally, there should be continuity in the teaching of material at different levels of education, but it happens in life that in 4th grade, they allow a child to read almost word for word, and in 5th grade, they expect a child to master large texts independently and understand them deeply.
What to do? Help your child to catch up.
You can turn to Reddit and look for advice from other mums on app, where you can find help with homework with good reviews, like Studybay.
It is possible to arrange individual lessons with the teacher or hire a tutor if mum and dad have no time. One thing is important to understand: until your pupil has mastered what has been taught before, you should not expect him or her to do well. Why is this important? A child will have to work twice as hard: study old material and do his/her current homework. It is already a burden. If mistakes or not very high scores for "homework" are criticized by parents, the task for the child will become quite an insurmountable burden from a psychological point of view. Promise not to make negative remarks until your pupil catches up with his classmates, and keep your word.
A child has conflicts at school
How so? Bullying, fighting with peers in a new class, a big conflict with a teacher - all of these can lead to "allergy-inducing" school. During the day in class, the child somehow hangs on. But at home, textbooks and notebooks remind of painful experiences, so the feeling of security at home disappears. That's why the son or daughter unconsciously tries to get rid of any mention of school.
What to do? Establish a trusting relationship, talk sincerely about what is going on at school. It is always better to ask your child informally about the school routine, not just about what grades he got, but about his friends, his relationships with his classmates, about events, even those that seem petty to adults. Then you will be able to know in time if something happens.
In any case, check this version. If the child talks frankly and joyfully about school life, cross it out. If conflict or bullying is confirmed (read about how to tell the difference between the two), deal with it, and not just with the child. You may need to talk to a teacher or psychologist. If the case is more serious and longer term, it may be bullying, then both specialists and school authorities need to be approached.
A child has hidden hyperactivity
How so? Such a child is no different from his peers. Intelligence is normal, he doesn't run around the room, he copes with the school curriculum. Is this hyperactivity? But any external stimulus (new subject, person, noise) knock out such a pupil. They were doing homework, got distracted by a friend's call... They didn't return to their workbooks, but started cleaning the room, as if they forgot what they were doing. If there are many of these stimuli, he gets overexcited and quickly gets tired, but can't stop and have a rest. Such a pupil can be compared to a car driver with broken brakes. Structures of the brain, which inhibit physical and emotional activity, work weakly, and those responsible for activation - a hundred percent.
What to do? Only a specialist can tell the difference between hyperactivity and latent hyperactivity, so it is worth seeing a neurologist. There is hope - with the right approach in the teenage years the child can "outgrow" the problem. Do you want him to get things done? The right prescription: more physical activity, walks in the fresh air. First send in the yard, a sports club, and then remind him of his homework. Oddly enough, such a pupil needs some physical fatigue to "ground up", concentrate on one thing.