School is a challenging environment sometimes. Throw in hormones, social pressures and learning issues, it can create a perfect storm.
One smart move is to help your child build resilience to help them:
- Bounce back after academic glitches
- Adapt to situations that keep changing
- Overcome hurdles without going off course
Ups and downs are a part of life. They happen to us all…
That’s why it’s crucial to teach our children how to best navigate those inevitable challenges as they crop up. And they will!
Challenges are Really Opportunities
When things don’t go to plan such as disastrous mock exam results, teach your child to see mistakes as a chance to improve – not as simply failures.
Reframe failure as opportunity by encouraging them to:
- Reflect on what went wrong without self-recrimination
- Then act on what they could do differently next time
- Break down challenges into more accessible steps
This way, you can help them create a more achievable plan, set realistic goals and understand that success doesn’t happen overnight – it’s built over time.
Nurture Problem-Solving Skills
One of the best things you can do is to teach your kids how to face challenges head-on rather than avoid what feels too tricky to manage.
- As tempting as it is to give them the answers if they’re stuck, it’s better to get them to identify which bit they don’t understand, and to start with that first.
- This way, they will be able to think through a problem in stages without being overwhelmed by the whole of it.
- And if they still can’t get past through those challenges, patiently help them break issues down onto smaller chunks so they can see a clearer pathway ahead…
You’ll probably be on the receiving end of a fair bit of grumpiness and resistance. We’ve all been there!
- Instead of getting annoyed, try to acknowledge their feelings. Assure them that it’s OK to feel frustrated sometimes.
- It could help if you encourage coping strategies such as deep breathing exercises or joining an after-school club to help combat stress and keep things in perspective.
- Plus, aim to celebrate their strengths to help balance out their emotions.
Need Help Facing Those Challenges Today?
Whether your child is facing 11+ exams, starting a new school, battling learning issues or struggling with GCSEs or A Levels, speak to our experienced team of tutors across Manchester and Cheshire.
Parents have entrusted us to help their children not just confront challenges, but overcome them.
There’s no finer reward for a tutor than to see a child we’re working with turn their lives around. Do get in touch to talk to our professional tuition team about how we could help.
In our next post, we’ll explore more ways to confront challenges head-on!
Tags: build resilience, Mock exam failure, set realistic goals