Children are the most confidence living things on this planet, they dare to say and do anything; and most importantly, they are dreamers. Their confidence strengthens when they are given opportunities to do what they have a genuine interest in. Many State schools can not provide specific opportunities for every single individual, it is logistically impossible.
So what can you do as a parent?
- Do not follow the trend. Every child is unique, every child has his own talent and area of interest, not all children have an interest in Maths & English. This is very important point to acknowledge, do not try to dismiss it, just because you do not see the point of it. Otherwise you are telling your child that there is something wrong with him, and that attitude will not help in building that very much needed bulletproof confidence. It does not matter what your friends or relatives say, trust your instinct. If your child is very much interested in the Arts or Science or whatever might be, why not investing in a tutor that specialises in those subjects? If finances are an issue, you can find plenty of free tutorials online. Allow your child to self-express and develop skills in what he loves doing, that will, in due course, have a positive impact on his academic performance.
- Take him out. How much time do you spend with your child? As a working parent, you know that you only have a few hours during the week to spend with your child. So, it is important to plan diligently what are you going to do with him over the weekend, so it is a constructive and a bonding time. London is full of free activities for children to do: Museums, organised trips with homeschoolers, exhibitions, workshops, community events…etc. The possibilities are endless, make the most of them!
- Seat down with him while he does his homework. Many parents expect children to remember to do their homework, who likes to do homework? Especially if you do not like the subject or do not understand it. Bottomline, it needs to be done, no excuses. It reinforces the learning that has taken place during that week…do you know what teachers think when homework is not handed in on a regular basis?…that no adult living with that child cares. Show that you care, that act in itself tells your child that you are there for him through the good and the bad.
These are just three of the things, I believe are important in keeping your children’s confidence at a maximum high. There are many strategies out there, do your own research and add more tips to my list.
By Rijole Bitata
Founder & Director of The ATL Learning Centre