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A reboot can help students get back on the right track

When you run into a problem on your laptop or phone, do you ever power it off and restart it? Rebooting a device can help it correct processing issues and work well.

If your child’s school year is not going as well as you’d hoped, it may be time to for a reboot, too! Here are a few strategies to help your child get back on track:

  • Make change a family affair. If you’ve decided that your child needs to spend more time doing schoolwork, make study time quiet time for the whole family. You can work on paperwork or read while your child works.
  • Replace bad habits. Breaking a habit is hard. It’s much easier to put a different habit in its place. If your child is in the habit of playing video games right after school ends for the day, suggest pleasure reading for 30 minutes instead. Your child can still relax—and strengthen reading skills at the same time!
  • Get organized. You should be able to find lots of great-looking calendars available on sale this month. Look for one your child will enjoy using. Then instill the habit of writing down responsibilities for home and school. That can help avoid a last-minute panic.
  • Celebrate successes. Help your child see the link between the new habits and the results. “You practiced that math and got nine out of 10 correct on the test. That’s great!”

Reprinted with permission from the January 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!®  (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.