6 Signs Your Teen Is Struggling in School

No parent wants to see their child do poorly in school. Yet with the advancement in education, many teens still find it difficult to do well. The most important thing you can do as a parent is to play an active role in this process and don’t just take the teachers or school’s word for why your child may be struggling. Its going to be imperative that you discover for yourself the exact reasons your teen may be having a hard time with their academics.

Here are seven signs to pay attention to:

1. Poor grades

A temporary fall in your teen’s grades or performance in school can be normal, and some short-lived problem(s) could be responsible for this. But when your teen displays a routine disconnection between good grades in school and earnest work habits, then it could be a sign that he or she is suffering from a learning disability that’s not noticeable.

2. Trouble concentrating

A little break or snack could sometimes be the solution to homework problems. Sometimes, you can help children concentrate better by changing their environments or venue. Some kids love to learn or study in their rooms where there is no distraction, while others find it pretty easy to study when sitting at the kitchen table or dining room. If you have tried any of these, and the result is not promising, then it could be your teen has a learning disability like Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or a condition that’s similar to it.

3. Unorganized

A common lesson is teaching your teen how to stay organized with their assignment.But if such efforts fail and they continue to remain disorganized, then you will need to keep an open mind to the fact that they may be suffering from some form of ADHD.

4. Being a perfectionist

Sometimes, teens who are perfectionists suffer from symptoms induced by stress (such as headaches or chronic stomachaches). And because they are too focused on academic success, they end up missing out on some of the fun and good moments of being in school.

Perfectionists usually find self-acceptance – accepting your weaknesses and imperfections – challenging. Trying to be perfect is not a bad thing; however, the desire to be perfect becomes counter-productive when it becomes uncontrollable and results in anger and depression.

5. Struggles in some classes

Your teen may do better in some subjects (for example Math) than in others (like Science). It’s completely normal for your teen to have strengths and weaknesses in their academics, but an intense struggle in one or more subjects could be a sign of a learning disability.

6. Being apathetic

It would be nice if all kids are continuously interested in schoolwork or find schoolwork endlessly fascinating, but it’s not so. For good or bad, better or worse, some of the things our teens learn in school is to be able to do things they don’t have passion for or do things they show little interest in or don’t find interesting at all.

A teen who is not bothered about school should be able to do passable work and still have a lot of time to engage in other things they find interesting (such as music, sports, computers, etc.). But when a teen doesn’t care about school and is also not interested in doing any work, then it’s possible your child is suffering from ADHD or possibly depression. Teens who have anxiety or are under a great deal of stress are more prone to depression, especially teenage girls.

Get Help

If you find that your child is struggling in school even though they are trying their best, it might be a good idea to get them some teen therapy if their issues are psychological. But if they are struggling with motivation, then you might want to consider a teen life coach.