Fear of disappointing you. Fear of failure. Fear of not being as good as their peers. There are many reasons why your child might be anxious, but they all have one thing in common: they can lead to all sorts of difficult behaviour during homework time. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help.
Does your child stubbornly refuse to do their homework, especially when you’re right there beside them? They may be afraid of failing and disappointing you, as if getting an answer wrong means they’ll never succeed. To solve this deadlock (if only in part), try showing your child different ways to understand success. It’s not just about performance—it can also be about the following:
If your child is convinced that they won’t be able to memorize their lessons from the get-go, their anxiety is likely to get worse. As a result, they may look for every possible excuse to avoid getting on with the task. An effective strategy for breaking this bad habit is to encourage your child to change their mindset. For example, if they say things like, “I never understand anything,” you can do the following:
Poor study habits can also add to your child’s anxiety during homework time. Why? Because poor study habits often result in lower grades, which do nothing to help self-confidence. That’s why it’s so important for your child to establish good study habits:
Learning to relax might not solve every problem, but it can certainly work wonders on anxiety. There’s no harm in trying some relaxation techniques! Before they start on their homework, have your child spend a few minutes focusing on one of the following:
Do you do yoga? Consider inviting your child to do some poses with you before getting to work.
Do you dread homework time almost as much as your child does? Your own anxiety, doubts, and mood swings can compound their anxiety. If you’re feeling on edge, try to stay positive. Here are a few things that might help:
Writing : The Alloprof Parents' team