| Finding answers to a child's underachievement is | | | | what you continue to grapple with. Be aware that |
| often a difficult and complex process. Let intuition be | | | | underachieving children easily succumb to |
| your guide, knowing when and how to ask the right | | | | 'catastrophism'. Encourage them, and give them |
| questions. Here are 7 steps to get you started:1. | | | | perspective.4. Commit to a Change.Most children are |
| Narrow the Problem.By the time a family member or | | | | already exhausted and defeated by the time you try |
| teacher steps in to help an underachieving child, it | | | | to work with them. Encourage them to commit to a |
| may be months or years since problems may have | | | | change and start small. The answers will be found by |
| first appeared. It can be extremely difficult sorting | | | | problem solving, and encourage them to celebrate |
| out the source of difficulties, and what problems | | | | every small bit of progress as it arrives.5. Don't |
| (depression, anxiety, apathy) are primary or | | | | Forget Your Parachute.Encourage realism and don't |
| secondary. Nevertheless, narrowing the problem is | | | | expect all your changes to work the first time. |
| often the most first step in finding specific answers | | | | Underachieving children often need some aggressive |
| to underachievement, and realize it may take some | | | | accommodations (reduced work load, assistive |
| time. | | | | technology, adjusted deadlines) at first to allow them |
| Look for patterns in certain subjects, assignments, | | | | to develop and become efficient with new styles of |
| homework, or teachers. Are there more problems | | | | processing information or expressing ideas. Don't |
| taking information in or getting it out? Did things get | | | | forget to take breaks and to enlist the cooperation |
| more complicated in middle school or when classroom | | | | of teachers as you devise a plan for overcoming |
| expectations increased? Could there be a 'silent' | | | | your child's underachievement.6. Adopt a Team |
| learning disability? Could your child be overscheduled? | | | | Approach to Problem-Solving.Partner with your child |
| Are problems related to subject areas like reading, | | | | problem solving situations and crises. Let your child |
| writing, or listening?2. Identify Strengths.Realize the | | | | express her worries and desires. Develop a plan that |
| importance of strengths in designing solutions. Children | | | | seems sensible to you both, and then push forward.7. |
| need to feel good enough about themselves to have | | | | Remember the Big Picture.Realize that many of the |
| the mental energy to tackle school frustrations. | | | | anxieties of underachievement come from personal |
| Underachieving children often they have no strengths | | | | fears of futility and catastrophe. Fears about time |
| and they may even have existential depression. | | | | running out and bleak futures need to be confronted |
| Also learning strengths should tell you the best | | | | and carted out to the waste bin. What you need to |
| routes for overcoming learning or performance | | | | do is focus on the present, plan sensible changes, |
| 'blocks'. Look for strengths in personal or hands-on | | | | allow time to see their effects, and adjust plans |
| learning, language, or the visual arts. Problem solve | | | | accordingly. Constantly redirect the focus on the big |
| best memory routes and styles of expression.3. | | | | picture - how can we help make them more happy, |
| Share Your Stories.Realize that you are probably a | | | | reduce their frustrations, accentuate their talents, and |
| powerful role model. Share your realistic stories about | | | | prepare them for their future. |
| learning difficulties, personal obstacles, and discuss | | | | |