School should be challenging for students and teenagers, but it should also be manageable.
Manageable means they might not always want to start their homework, but they aren’t doing anything and everything – including throwing fits and disobeying parents – to avoid it.
Sometimes parents need to call in the big guns, meaning hiring a tutor. The question is how do you know when?
Here are some signs of how to recognize that your child needs outside academic help.
1. Worthless Effort
If you and your child work every night on their geometry homework, but they have not gotten higher than a C on a test in months, clearly something is a missing in your efforts. Don’t waste time beating yourself up; an in-person or online math tutor is a great resource for help.
2. “Let Me Do It”
If you find that you’re doing your child’s math homework for them on a regular basis, it is time to hire a math tutor.
3. Focus On Other Things
Some children require tutors because their focus is on something outside of school, such as the pursuit of performance arts or a competitive sport. It is a good idea in these cases to hire a tutor to help your child learn more efficient ways to complete homework, so more time is freed up for the fun extracurricular activities in their life.
4. Teacher Knows Best
Your child’s teacher knows how their students’ minds work better than most, so if they tells you that your child could benefit from some outside academic help, trust them.
5. Giving Up
It is painful to watch your child, once so eager to learn, seem hopeless as to their ability to grasp certain disciplines. If this is the case, it’s time to build up their self-efficacy with a math tutoring online.
6. It’s Just Stressful
Sometimes it may not obvious that your child is struggling, but you and your child are constantly at odds. If so, it’s time for a tutor.
