Dealing with Slumping Grades
However, slumping grades might be a sign of something more serious, such as:
∑ Health problems. Make sure that you have your teenager examined by a physician as soon as possible.
∑ Depression. If your teen is severely depressed, he or she won't care about their grades anymore. This can also be a cry for help and your teenager may be considering suicide. Again, it's imperative that you have your child examined.
∑ Peer pressure. Your teen's not likely to excel if most of his friends are failing.
∑ Factors that may be affecting the amount of sleep he or she is getting. Has he or she started a new job or started working longer hours? A consistent sleep pattern is important for maintaining good grades.
∑ Relationship issues. If your teenager has experienced a recent break-up, most likely every aspect of his or her life will be affected for awhile. The same is true if your teen has recently fallen in love.
∑ Problems at home. If there has been a divorce or a death in the family, your teen might view grades as trivial. Again, counseling might be required.
In most cases, slumping grades are a symptom of a more serious problem.
Don't ignore the signs! Talk to your teen and then proceed to get him or her the help that might be needed.
Hana C.
Pittsburgh, PA
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