Signs Your Child Might Be Struggling in School (and What to Do About It)



Not every child will tell you when something is wrong at school. Some are embarrassed. Others don’t know how to explain it. And often, what looks like laziness or bad behaviour is actually a cry for help.

As a parent or caregiver, knowing the early warning signs can make a huge difference in your child’s academic journey.

🚩 Common Signs Your Child Might Be Struggling in School

1. ❌ Sudden Drop in Marks

If your child was doing okay before and now their marks are falling, it’s a clear red flag—especially if it happens in more than one subject.

2. 🙅🏾‍♀️ Avoiding Homework or Studying

If they suddenly hate doing homework or make excuses every day, something deeper may be going on. It could be that they don’t understand the work but are too scared to admit it.

3. 😞 Low Confidence or Saying “I’m Dumb”

If your child starts to doubt themselves or says things like “I can’t do it” or “I’ll never pass,” they may be losing confidence because they’re falling behind.

4. 😠 Behaviour Changes at Home or School

Outbursts, frustration, mood swings, or becoming unusually quiet can all be signs of academic stress. Kids often act out because they’re overwhelmed or discouraged.

5. 🏃‍♀️ Wanting to Skip School or Faking Illness

If your child suddenly has “stomach aches” every Monday or starts begging to stay home, it might not just be the flu—it could be school anxiety.

💡 What You Can Do as a Parent

✅ 1. Talk, Listen, and Stay Calm

Ask gentle questions like:

  • “Is there anything in school that’s been hard lately?”
  • “What subject feels most confusing right now?”

Let them speak freely—without jumping straight to punishment or lectures.

✅ 2. Check In With Teachers

Teachers can give great insights: whether your child is distracted, behind in work, or showing changes in class. Keep communication open and non-defensive.

✅ 3. Create a Supportive Study Environment

Make sure your child has:

  • A quiet, clean space to work
  • Regular study times
  • Encouragement rather than pressure

Sometimes small changes at home make a big difference in performance.

✅ 4. Consider Tutoring or Extra Help

If your child needs more support, tutoring after hours can help them catch up at their own pace without the pressure of a classroom.

✅ 5. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results

Even if the results aren’t perfect yet, show that you’re proud of their hard work. This builds confidence and encourages them to keep trying.

❤️ Final Thought:

Every child learns differently. Struggles are not a sign of failure—they’re a sign that your child needs support, not shame. With early intervention, patience, and the right tools, your child can turn things around.

They don’t need to be perfect. They just need someone who believes in them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Africa, Our Autistic Kids Deserve Better

A call to action for a continent rich in culture but starving for inclusion I was born in Africa. I teach in Africa. And I love Africa deeply. But I also need to speak truth  because our autistic children are suffering in silence, behind closed doors, in rural villages and urban cities, in families filled with love but lacking support, and in schools that were never designed with them in mind. We cannot talk about progress, development, or Ubuntu while still hiding our autistic children , calling them cursed, refusing them education, or denying them access to tools that help them thrive. So, dear Africa, I’m writing this with both love and urgency: Our autistic kids deserve better. 🚫 What We're Getting Wrong Too often in African communities, autism is misunderstood or not even understood at all. Some of the most common, painful misconceptions I’ve encountered: “She’s like this because her mother was bewitched.” “He’ll outgrow it once he starts talking.” “It’s punishmen...
Read more

What Burnout Looks Like for People Who ‘Keep It Together’

Burnout doesn’t always look like crying in a corner. It doesn’t always look like chaos or falling apart. Sometimes, burnout wears lipstick. Sometimes it smiles. Sometimes it keeps showing up — even when it’s barely hanging on. If you’re the one people count on, the one who always “has it under control,” this post is for you. Because burnout for people who keep it together doesn’t look like collapse. It looks like quiet exhaustion. It looks like numbness. It looks like doing everything… and feeling nothing. 🌡️ Signs You Might Be Burned Out (Even If You’re Functioning) You wake up tired, even after sleep. You're short with people you love, and you feel guilty about it. Everything feels heavy — even the simple tasks you used to enjoy. You scroll, distract, overthink — anything but sit with your own feelings. You forget things. You lose track of time. You're always "on," but never really present . You wonder if you're just “being lazy” — but deep down,...
Read more

Inside My Classroom: Tools, Tears, Triumphs

A glimpse into a space where neurodiverse minds bloom When people hear I work with nonspeaking and minimally speaking autistic learners, they often imagine a room full of silence, tantrums, or chaos. They couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, there are hard days. Days filled with emotional overwhelm, challenging behaviors, or heartbreaking stares from children who so desperately want to be understood. But those aren’t the full story. My classroom is also a place of magic  where communication is reimagined, trust is built word by letter, and silent voices roar louder than you could ever expect. So come with me. Let me take you inside my classroom  and into the hearts of some of the most incredible minds I’ve ever met. 🧰 The Tools: Building a Pathway to Expression At first glance, my classroom doesn’t look very different. Desks. Whiteboard. Posters. But look closer and you’ll notice tools that you don’t often see in traditional schools: Letterboards  These are our commun...
Read more