Ways to Avoid Bad Grades

Readers: Besides being holiday time, close to half of the school year is over. It's a great time to take stock of how things have been going this year. Then resolutions can be made to make the second half of the school year even better.
Don't just make resolutions; bring your children in on this. Ask them what needs to be changed to improve how the year is going for them. We are not talking about major roadblocks like learning disabilities that require considerable attention from you and the school over a long period of time. Instead, we are talking about the glitches that cause your children to bring home occasional bad grades. Once they are identified, they often can be eliminated rather quickly. If your child falls into any of these pitfalls, think about making resolutions to turn them around.
--Are your children getting enough sleep? If not, they may be sleep-deprived and falling asleep in class.
--Are your children missing too many days because of health problems? If so, a checkup probably is a good idea.
--Are your children eating right? Without breakfast, their energy level is likely to be down. Plus, an unhealthy diet can lower their attention span.
--Are your children spending excessive amounts of time watching TV or on the computer? Doing so can add up to a lot of wasted time.
--Is your home a disorganized madhouse every morning? Such daily confusion can result in important papers not being turned in.
--Do your children need personal digital assistants to keep track of their activities? If so, their schoolwork may be taking second place to their activities.
--Do your children have good attendance records? Good attendance gives them the opportunity to learn everything that was taught in the classroom.