Warning signs that a child is being bullied include lost or damaged belongings, unexplained injuries, frequent headaches or stomach aches, changes in sleep or eating, fear of school, declining marks, withdrawal from friends, low self-esteem and mood swings. Not every bullied child shows signs. If you suspect bullying, seek help immediately from teachers, counsellors or psychologists.
A bullied child can respond without violence by firmly telling the bully to stop, ignoring them and walking away, and never fighting back physically. They should talk to a trusted adult, stay with friends, avoid places where the bully corners them and keep a diary of incidents. Activities such as sport, art or martial arts can build confidence.
Reading with your child works best when the focus is on understanding rather than how much is read. Keep reading pieces short and discuss them in a relaxed, distraction-free setting, create mind maps and summaries for school subjects, use poems and pictures to explore language, look up words in a dictionary and keep a word bank of interesting phrases.
Teachers become frustrated when children arrive with unlabelled belongings, unsigned homework diaries, incomplete homework, untidy uniforms or too little sleep, or when they are late, disruptive or struggle to follow instructions. Parents can help by labelling items, monitoring homework, preparing the night before, teaching listening skills and self-control, and modelling respect at home.
If your child fails exams, avoid blaming yourself and focus on moving forward. Meet the teacher and follow their recommendations, and consider an assessment by an educational psychologist, who can identify issues such as reading comprehension or concentration difficulties. Remedial teaching, which builds skills rather than covering content, may help, and it is never too late to support your child.
Parents can help children get organised for exams by explaining why organisation matters and building routines with a visible calendar, set times for homework and chores and fixed places for schoolbags and stationery. At school, label everything, use colour-coded books and concertina files, record dates straight away, check schoolbags regularly and model organised behaviour yourself.
