Do you think this is a good idea...?

Question

My son Christian, Who is entering the 7th grade slacked off during 6th. His grades were between 85's to 90's. He did good on tests, but he wasn't to proud of himself. So he sat down with me today and told me that since summer is coming up soon [his last day is tommorow] he's going to do his best, study, do all his work and earn a " Gold Card" which means all of his grades are above 90's. I felt so happy for him! What do you think?

Answer 1

Well, I think it's great that your child wants to do well in school.   However, 85's and 90's are no reason to feel disappointed in yourself.   Those are fine grades and something to be proud of.

I would encourage your child to reach his goals and to be motivated to better himself.  However, make sure you are monitoring his actions and thoughts about himself.

You don't want him thinking he's bad just because he only received a 90%.

I would be careful he isn't too much of a perfectionist, because that can lead to a lot of emotional stress, lack of self-confidence,  OCD, etc.

You don't want him because obssessive compulsive about grades and such.   You don't want him to be freaking out about only getting a 89% and not a 90%.

Just make sure this is a healthy goal and his motivation is balanced.   He's still young and he should be out enjoying his summer too.  Make sure he's not so obssesed with school that he forgets to laugh and play too.   Social development is equally as important as academic development.

Answer 2

I assume that he is going to summer school then?  To take advance classes?  Otherwise, he is referring to next school year.  Either way, its both a good thing and a bad thing for him to be so hard on himself that he didn't pull straight A's.  Its good that he likes school, takes pride in his accomplishments and values his education, but its a bad thing that he is that hard on himself, that he doesn't realize how well he did do, even if it wasn't perfect.

Answer 3

First, make sure he knows you are proud of grades in the 85-90s. These aren't poor grades, it took me all gradeschool through high school to realize that and I ended up putting myself under a great deal of stress and forming ulcers in my stomach because I was that stressed over grades. I think it's great he wants good grades.

Answer 4

sounds like he is growing up & wants to be treated more like an adult .. that is where you come in .. try not to treat him as your little boy anymore ..

Answer 5

All of us grade slippers wanted to do better when we got a clean slate at the end of the year, or semester, or quarter etc.  There are many causes for the slippage, and it's difficult to pinpoint, especially if there are more than one.  Considering his age, at this point, my first thought is that puberty is playing a few tricks on his libido.  Boys, who are a bit slower by the mere fact that they are boys... to often are products of their own desires.  It's really difficult to concentrate on sines and cosines, Keating, and Twain, the war of 1812, and the location of Pakistan and a Demo's view on NAFTA when the only thing running through their brains are X & Y chromosones to the umpteenth power, and a stronger dose of testosterone then he has been use to dealing with.  Let him enjoy his summer, and spend a few minutes a day, at the end of each day... telling you HOW, he is going to approach the next school year.  Implementing a plan when fall comes, is a whole lot easier to do when one HAS a plan.  Be happy for him for getting to where he has got.  It is a milestone in your life as well as his.  Set him up to let him feel good about what he has accomplished, and try to get him to really begin to look forward to seventh grade and all that comes with it.  I think they call it middle school now, but we use to call it Junior High School.  Woooo... what an awsome bigboy name.  Keeping him on track with a plan of how to do his work next year, will let him feel the accomplishments of implementing them, and in turn as he strives for the knowledge of what he will attain, the Gold Card will just be the icing on his cake.  Good Luck Mom, I know you're proud....

Answer 6

Lol, I`m afraid I`d be wondering if he was "buttering me up".I`d ask him to write it down ,sign it & stick it on the fridge -Also, have him to go to a website  Study Island-you have to see if your schools on it & get the password.

Answer 7

Great idea! You must be proud. I give him a "Gold star" for wanting to do his best next year. Some children at that age don't think like that.

Answer 8

i think your son is smart and knows what he is doing.... i'm a TA for PE at my high school and i work with k-5th graders. (i'm going into 11) and i have seen the kids that don't care what they do and the ones that have turned around and were like "i'm going to do this cause its best for my grades, school, family, myself, and my future." pluse my mom is a school teacher. so she thinks that he is very smart in going to you and telling you....

~V~

Answer 9

i'm not a parent but i think it is really good that your son is finding his own motivation to do well in school