My Child Did Not Score Well. What Should I Do Now?

 The waiting is over and those much-anticipated exam results are finally on their way. But for your child, this is just the beginning of the next stage of their lives. For most students, this is an emotionally charged time. In our modern society, many students nowadays define themselves by their academic achievement, using grades as a marker of self-esteem. Therefore, it is hardly surprising some students are greatly affected when they do worse than they had hoped.

So how can you, as a parent, best support them through the process, particularly if your child did not get the grades they wanted? As such, here are some tips on how you can support your child on exam results day:

1) Talk it out  
First, try to talk to your child to know what is bothering him deep down. Is it the failure or the fear of letting you down? Don’t shy away from the disappointment your child is feeling. Encourage him/her to talk about it to you. If talking doesn’t help and your child refuses to talk to you or other family members for days, you may need to seek for professional help like counselling.

2) Plan what to do next
Help your child learn from mistakes. Getting low grades or even repeating a year may seem like a huge social burden and embarrassment for your child. This may be the time to plan a study timetable with your child and you may also look for a good tutorial class or tutor to cope with your child’s academic challenges. While planning the next step with your child, do remember not to create unnecessary stress on your child as it is a vulnerable period for him/her.

3) Prepare for the future
Constantly assure your child that you will support him/her no matter the results or situation. Instill confidence in your child and explain to him/her that success and failure is part and parcel of life. For children whose dreams are dashed on results day, support from their parents or someone whom they trust is crucial, not just on the day but over a period of time. Keep talking about the many possible future paths available and explain, preferably with real examples, that many successful people have taken alternative routes to reach their ultimate goals.

Most importantly, praise your child on how hard he/she has studied for the exams. Emphasise on the hard work and effort that they have put in for the past few months or even years. These are the qualities that will take your child far in life, not just their academic results.

Is your child taking his/her PSLE exams this year? If so, feel free to visit www.PSLErevision.com to find out more about our PSLE Intensive Revision Courses today. Alternatively, you may call us 6457-0881 to find out more about our weekly K1-S4 English, Math, Science and Chinese tutorial classes.