Help me get my 4th grader to focus in school.?

Question

She says she has no homework, I check her bag, there are no books.

I talk to the teacher she has work thats weeks behind.

If I go to class with her she wants to sit on my lap and hug me.

She's smart not genuis but better than average,

It started in 2nd grade that she would slack. I thought it was because it may not be challenging, but alot she don't know.

How can I encourage, I have already told her no sleepovers until the grades come up. No guitar hero til the homeworks done and checked.

What can I do???? I don't want her to be like me and struggle through High School because I didn't pay attention in elementary.

Answer 1

Is she bored at school?  She may have just lost interest because it is too easy.  Ask her teacher to email you the homework each week.  You may also want to change things up a little.  When she gets home, take an hour to play or do something together.  Then focus on homework.  Set a timer for one hour.  Sit at the table with her and pay bills, do work or look up recipes online.  This will show her that you are keeping an eye on her without hovering!  When she starts showing improvement in getting work done, reward her.  After a week of doing homework without complaints, take her for an ice cream.  If her grades improve, have a sleepover.  Just make sure she knows your on top of things!!

Answer 2

I would make her do her homework with you every night.  Ask her questions as you do it to make sure she understands.  If she does and is just trying to get out of doing it, punish, punish, punish.

Take away the TV, the computer, all pleasure reading, going outside, stopping for ice cream, etc.  If you don't stress how important school is and that you have a zero tolerance for goofing off, she will not take it seriously.

Answer 3

Study with her gosh do parrents know anything these days!

Answer 4

I have an idea, she's your daughter, so you know her interests, buy a bag full of her favorite things and then take a couple of her favorite things. For every week that she gets good grades, let her choose one item of her choice from the bag. If you see improvement, slowly start taking away the rewards and soon she will (hopefully) enjoy schoolwork.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 5

It sounds to me like she has a problem I had. ADD, but it's very over diagnosed so I wouldn't say just go put her on the medicine. But people with ADD have a lot of trouble staying organized and prioritizing. There mind is never in the now, it's always on what's next or other possibilities of what could be happening. Since she's so young it would be awesome for you to really help her stay organized. Keep things in her life as consistent and stable as possible. Alot her time to do each subjects homework but make sure she gets awarded with time to relax and play or else it will seem too overwhelming to her. Then she will completely give up. And grounding really does not work, it never did with me. Because it's as if she just doesn't have the drive to do anything because it all feels so daunting.

Edit:

Definitely talk to her teacher(s). See if they can check her bag before she leaves, assuring that she has everything. And Teachers almost always have a lesson plan listing what the class is doing that week, including homework. So see if they can e-mail it to you, they usually will. And keeping up an e-mail correspondence with them really helps, you keep tabs on your daughter and it creates a bit more of a bond between all three of you so they will subconsciously keep a closer eye on her in class, forcing her to pay attention.

Answer 6

Hi there.  My 3rd grade daughter has the same issues and does the same thing.  I am not sure if it is ADHD and am going to have her checked out by the doctor.  In the meantime, I have set up routines for her (and her siblings) and included a school routine that I put in her school folder.  It has the plastic sheet protector stuff on the outside of it.  On the front, she has her basic instructions of what to do at school, the last one being "Put your folder WITH your work in it, into your backpack".  On the back side I created a schedule with her subjects to remind her what work she has on which days.  I sent a copy to her teacher as well.  This helps me know what she should have in her folder and keep on top of her to get the stuff done.

I too, have not allowed her to do certain things until she proves to be more responsible in school.  I know she is struggling and think it may be something more than just the age.  Good luck to you and e-mail me if you would like to see the routine and stuff...I would be more than happy to share it with you!

Answer 7

Im only in 6th grade now and I had th EXACT same problem. I would come home with nothing written in my agenda so my parents would say ok. Then I missed every h.w. assignment and up untill this year I changed my ways. I just got sickof having bad grades, and I started making sure I put the assignments in my agenda. If they have agenda's a good idea would be to have the teacher sign it to make sure she writes it down. If they dont useany type of agenda I would suggest having the teacher make one for her or go to staples and  buy  a personal one and have the teacher sign the homeowork. Taking away privilages is also a good thing, my parents took away the computer and phone.