Helping Your Child Get Off on the Right Foot in 2022

Winter break is here, which means time for relaxation and a much-deserved break. It’s also an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and turn the page to a brand-new year. If your child had a difficult first semester of the year, use this time to talk openly about it and set some goals. Here are a few tips to help your child start 2022 off the right way:

• Set new goals and revisit goals set earlier in the year. Goal setting is a very valuable exercise. Have your child think about what they would like to accomplish for the second half of the school year. Together, talk through any goals your child set at the start of the school year too—how are they going? Are they still important to your child? Or do they need adjusting?
• Reframe situations to look for opportunities. If your child has struggled in school at all these past several months, they might be looking for someone to blame. Turn that thinking around by talking about how your child could change their actions and their situation. Discuss what is in your child’s control (their effort) and what is not (the grade they receive). If the first semester brought a few low grades, talk about what your child could have done differently to prepare, and what will improve their preparation going forward next semester.
• Rebuild the growth mindset. A growth mindset is when someone believes they are capable of increasing their knowledge and growing their intelligence. You can help your child develop this by showing them how to learn and grow from mistakes and adopt the thinking that there is always something new to learn in school and life.
• Refresh your child’s memory on your expectations. It’s easy for students to lose steam at the end of each semester. Over break, remind your child of your school expectations. Talk about the routine at home and discuss what, if anything, could use improvement. Don’t forget to talk about teacher expectations too. If you need suggestions from the teacher, be sure to arrange a call before winter break starts.
• Get your child the help they need. Sometimes, school struggles need intervention—and the longer you wait, the bigger they become. If you notice any lingering problems from first semester or your child has continued struggles with subjects that were already challenging in prior grades, Huntington can help. Our Subject Tutoring program can help your child get back on track to meet grade-level standards.

With the year half over, it’s a great opportunity for your student to recharge and for you as a family to talk about the new year with optimism. Set the stage for success and help your child make the rest of the school year the best it can be! And of course, if you need help, call Huntington at 1-800 CAN LEARN to learn more about our subject tutoring for children of all ages.