7 Tips to Make School Life Easier for Your Kids   

By Pacific Prime Singapore

October 2023

Education is an important part of modern society, and we should take this matter seriously. Parents are responsible for shaping their child’s perception of school.

Our friends at Pacific Prime CXA are here to provide you with tips and guidance on making school life more enjoyable for your child and helping them through their school struggles.

Why is School Important?

Schools are where children get to learn their roles and skills in society. From social skills and empathy to building confidence and encouraging critical thinking, education is fundamental in shaping the future of children.

From a well-developed curriculum to highly qualified teachers, education in Singapore is regarded as one of the best in the world. However, the system emphasizes academic performance, causing intense competition and pressure among students.

How Can You Tell When Your Child is Struggling at School?

As a mighty parent, we totally understand that it is difficult to focus both on work and your child’s education simultaneously. You’ve sent them to the best school possible, tried to support and acknowledge their efforts, and spent quality time maintaining healthy relationships.

However, most parents overlook the importance of noticing and solving their child’s problems at school. Children usually feel embarrassed about it or afraid of punishment, so they won’t tell you right away. Here are some examples of common school problems to watch for:

●   Mismatched learning styles: Many traditional schools may not be able to provide personalized learning opportunities, resulting in boredom, discouragement, low performance, and shattered self-esteem.

●   Lack of interest: If school is not interesting or challenging enough, refusal behaviors can be observed as they don’t understand why it’s important to learn or why they need to learn.

●    Learning disabilities: Gaps and delays in development cause children to lag behind in learning progress. Indicators include difficulties memorizing, focusing, and manifesting inappropriate emotional reactions.



7 Tips to Help Your Kid Have a Better Time at School
That said, it is totally possible that some of us didn’t even enjoy school or might have had negative school experiences. But one thing is for certain, nobody wants their children to go through hardship at school.

1. Encourage Verbal Communication

It gives you the opportunity to find out what your child is experiencing and build strong bondings. Try these helpful or creative questions instead of simply asking “How’s your day?” to help them open up.

●   What was your favorite activity today?

●   Was there anything to wish to learn more about?

●   If you have the ability to change one thing about school, what would that be?

2. Build a Growth Mindset

Every child needs a supportive and empowering home environment to grow up healthily. Educate them that failing is totally fine, life is full of challenges, the most important thing is having the courage to try again.

3. Help Develop Friendship

Social intelligence is not something that everybody is born with. Nurturing friendships in early life can have a significant impact on your child’s social skills.

Start with playdates before their school year, then try to discover their interests so they can naturally form friendships with kids who have the same interests.

4. Do Stress Relief Activities

Children are not equipped with the skills to cope with stress. Take note of any change in behavior and other irregular signs such as mood swings and low motivation. As parents, you can:

●   Promote balance between post-school extracurriculars and free time

●   Prioritize getting enough rest

●   Do fun activities together

5. Make Learning Fun

Learning could be done through various methods outside of textbooks. Try incorporating game and movie sessions to make learning less monotonous.

Creating an engaging and fun learning environment gives motivation and the ability to explore their own way of effective learning.

6. Avoid Being Grade Obsessive

Parental pressure can increase stress and negatively impact children. Instead of non-stop pressuring, giving them anxiety, and shattered self-esteem, it’s better to provide a supportive space. This way, they can feel protected and be more open to coming up with solutions and solving this problem.

7. Practice Saying No

The word “No” could be difficult to say. But it is imperative to let your kids know it’s neither possible nor necessary to please everyone.

You can also talk about your personal experience and come up with ideas to help them get out of uncomfortable social situations.