Struggling Learner? Pare Down Your Schedule
Is your child struggling in a particular area? Maybe it’s reading. Maybe it’s math.
If your child is enrolled in a school, then there can be many things to keep up with regarding regular weekly tests and homework.
If your child is homeschooled, there can be many outside-the-home activities to attend.
Either way, when your child is struggling academically, you need to be able to recognize that and prioritize some things in your schedule.
Most importantly, you need to be able to PARE DOWN YOUR SCHEDULE. Please listen, take a breath, and hear me out.
PARE DOWN YOUR SCHEDULE means you have to say NO to some extra activities.
If you have an activity every. single. night. of the school week when your child is in school a full 8 hours a day it is TOO much—particularly if your child is struggling academically.
It’s really ok to not have your child in every activity all the time.
Learning to say “no” can be liberating.
I know that it can feel isolating to say, “no” and then see other people still continuing in that activity, but don’t underestimate how important rest is for YOUR CHILD and YOU.
For homeschooling parents, you know that outside activities can end up consuming the days at times, and you end up not getting some of your intended work done. Sometimes, you have to say, “no.”
It doesn’t mean you have to say NO forever. Give yourself a time frame.
Maybe it’s only one season of ball that you pass up.
Maybe you let your child choose only 1 activity for the semester.
Make a decision that you will return to your activity at an agreed upon time.
Value rest and time at home. If your child is struggling, you need some protected time to evaluate what’s causing the issue and time to fix it.
Your child’s schedule is made through decisions that you, the parent make. What will fall by the wayside?
Everyone’s child is different. Just like the child on the sports team who isn’t the best player, some children aren’t the best readers or math problem solvers.
What would you say that ball teammate needs more of?
You’d say practice. It would be clear that child has not had someone work with him on the fundamentals of the game.
I know. My child has been that child! I was thankful when people were patient with him.
But, the same is true for the reading or the math. Particularly if your child has a learning disability in those areas. It doesn’t mean that your child cannot learn. But it does mean it may take longer for your child than some other child. It does mean you may need some different strategies to help your child. Those things take time.
YOU are the deciding factor for your child’s time. You make the decisions. You are the one to say, “not yet, not this month, or wait a little longer.” If you say YES to every outside activity all the time, you won’t only tire yourself and your child out, but you will also create more overall stress.
Have you tried PARING DOWN your schedule before?
I have.
I remember when my middle child was a beginning reader. Life was busy. We had moved. There had been some switching of jobs. My oldest child had extra activities, and I still had a toddler/preschooler.
I knew that I had let some things fall by the wayside with my child. It was his kindergarten year: that precious time to lay a solid foundation for further learning.
I adapted my schedule and made my top priority with my three children his reading time. I placed it above the other two children….for a season. Looking back, it was about a month-a month and a half. I put him and his reading first.
Guess what? It paid off. He is in third grade now, loves reading, and reads well.
I have yet to meet a parent in my tutoring business who has looked back and said, “I wish we hadn’t invested that time in learning to read.” My tutoring parents don’t have to come to tutoring forever—just until their child is ready to spread their wings and move on (or just until the parent reaches a level of confidence to handle the rest on their own).
When I have a reading student in my tutoring practice who isn’t making progress like I think he should, I always start by asking which days the parent is listening to the child read.
If you go for two weeks (including weekends) without never hearing your beginner reader read to you, then YES, YOU WILL SEE REGRESSION. I’m always amazed at how parents will think that a child has mastered something because they did it well a few times. Then, they remove all supports and stop practicing. Next, they are surprised when a few weeks later their child is back to struggling!
It’s a new skill for the young child. The same can happen with math skills too. There is a reason why it’s called ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. You are laying a foundation of the basics. Leave out the basics and middle school and high school will be so much harder!
What have you had to PARE DOWN?
Did you cut out activities forever?
When did you decide to go back?
What academic goal for your child did you prioritize for a season?
Comment below!
Remember, you are your child’s most influential teacher.