Parents can improve a child’s active listening skills by rewarding good listening with praise instead of raising their voice, and by playing listening games such as Simon Says, copycat and repetition games, interactive and add-on stories, audio stories and sound identification. Signs of listening difficulties include struggling with multi-step instructions, often asking for repetition and being easily distracted.
Parents can build a resilient child by teaching them that failure is part of learning, encouraging regular practice and helping them find a mentor. Set small goals each term, help them see change as an opportunity, encourage effort and active problem-solving, keep a positive attitude, celebrate successes and reflect daily on how they handled challenges.
Being smart means more than doing well in Mathematics and Science. Howard Gardner identified eight types of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, visuospatial, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, naturalist, interpersonal and intrapersonal, with a possible ninth, existential intelligence. Parents can expose children to varied experiences to find their strengths, nurture those strengths and still encourage effort in every subject.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, not a behavioural problem or character flaw, and must be diagnosed by a qualified professional. Parents can help a child with ADHD using the DREAM approach: a balanced Diet, a consistent Routine, regular Exercise, Accepting it is not the child’s fault and Modelling good behaviour, along with short instructions, praise and positive reinforcement.
Parents can improve a child’s attitude towards learning in three ways: show interest in their school day by asking specific questions, build a love of learning through curiosity, reading and new experiences such as museums and concerts, and teach independent work by guiding children to solutions rather than giving answers. Realistic expectations help protect motivation.
Early preparation, rather than procrastination, helped one family turn failing exam results into passes within a single school term. The steps included reviewing the school calendar and incomplete notes, building a study timetable backwards from exam dates, organising revision summaries by subject, separating note-making from studying, using practice worksheets and exams, and giving daily encouragement.
