“Five more minutes!” kids may plead in the morning, trying to get a little more time in bed. But what if this happens again and again, does this mean your child hates school?
Sure, you can bribe them with yummy breakfast treats or promise them fun after-school activities, but sometimes they just won’t budge. So what’s a mum or dad to do?
If Your Child Hates School, Is Forcing Them the Solution?
One dad in China took matters into his own hands — quite extremely — by tying his daughter to the back of his motorcycle when she refused to go to school. In a video clip, the father is seen riding on a busy road. Reports say the girl was crying her eyes out because, as police later learned, the child hates school.
According to Shanghaiist, local police had spoken to the father, emphasising that he should never do this again.
You can watch the video clip, below.
Motivation Tips for Parents Whose Child Hates School
Mums and dads can relate to the stress of trying to get kids ready in the morning. This becomes especially frustrating when your child refuses to cooperate. But physically forcing them to go to school does not help. Sure, it might get them to go to school out of fear. But this does not bode well for nurturing their love for school.
As parents, it is your duty to protect your child’s love for learning, writes neurologist and education expert Judy Willis in Psychology Today.
If your child refuses to get up in the morning, how can you motivate them? Here are a few tips.
1. Talk to Your Child
Students today are often under a lot of stress and pressure to perform. The best way to gauge whether this is the reason your child hates school is to communicate with them. Help them with their homework; try to lighten their load by simply paying attention. But remember that there is also value in allowing them to be challenged, as it builds their resilience.
2. Don’t Judge
Offer a listening ear. Do not negate them, but allow them to express even negative emotions in a safe space. Don’t judge your child, and don’t judge your child’s teacher as well. The truth is, some educators are more creative than others when it comes to engaging kids.
3. Help Them See the Good
Validate their negative feelings by showing them you understand. Tell them you were a student once, too. Then you can ask them about what they like about school, without overemphasising that they should focus on the good. But guide them gently towards a more optimistic view of school.
4. Give Them Something to Look Forward To
School should not be their whole world. After school, you can take them to do fun things they enjoy. For instance, sports entertain and educate them in ways a classroom can’t.
These fun things can be as simple as helping you out in the kitchen, if cooking interests them. Give them enriching outlets to blow off steam, while still teaching them something new.
5. Make Learning Personal
Dr. Willis recommends that parents guide kids to find links between typically boring lessons and their personal interests. Yes, they struggle with science, but if you show how this can have “personal relevance” to them — how science is in the tress they love, or games they like to play — they’ll be more open to exploring the subject. Through making learning meaningful, they will be able to focus and memorise more efficiently.
Though there will be days when your child just refuses to go to school, what matters is keeping your cool as a parent. Make them feel heard and valued.
Soon enough, they’ll cooperate, if not for a genuine love for school just yet, but it will be out of concern and respect for you, knowing that you have their best interest at heart.
Sources: ShanghaiList via Medium, Psychology Today
ALSO READ: 11 Signs that your child is slower than average
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