Teach Your Child to Enjoy School

School day blues can be a tough issue to face with your child. You want them to look forward to the place where they spend the most time. Here are some tips for helping them learn to better appreciate school

1

Set an upbeat tone for the day before they leave the house. If getting out the door to school is a chore because your child is tired, try moving bedtime back a half hour. As adults we know how hard it can be to drag ourselves out of bed early. The same is true for kids.

2

Accentuate the positive. Ask your child specific questions about what they liked about their day. It’s okay if they say “lunch” or “recess.” Use your investigative skills to learn what makes that appealing to them. Then pinpoint other occasions during the school day where they can enjoy those aspects. If it’s time with friends, help them recognize interactions they have within the classroom. 

3

School can be a downer for kids when they get overwhelmed by summative assessments like tests and overall class grades. As educational psychologist Carol Dweck points out in her book Mindset, kids learn better when they focus on the process and growth instead of outcomes.

4

With growth in mind, help your child set school-oriented goals. Ask “what do you hope you can do at the end of the school year that you can’t do now?” If one part of their day is more discouraging than another, consider focusing the growth goal in that area. Then revisit those goals periodically.

Focus on growing your child into a lifelong learner. In the process, they might see school in a different light.