My son has been struggling in school since third grade. His grades have been very poor since then. We have had him tutored by Huntington Learning Center for over one year now. I have also tutored him and now he is seeing a counselor. Everyone agrees that he is just not motivated, but how can we fix that? He has also been tested by the public school system and is considered in the average range (no LD problems identified). What can we do to help our son?
- It could be an underlying learning disability that wasn't picked up by the school evaluation.
- It could also be that he's had such a poor track record in school that he doesn't see any hope of success. As a result, he could be depressed as a result of this self-perception. He may be saying, "Why should I work harder? It's not going to make any difference." Or, "Even if I work my tail off, I'll only get C's or D's or worse. What's the use?"
You need to have him evaluated soon by a professional who specializes in the assessment of childhood learning disabilities and emotional difficulties. This could be a clinical neuropsychologist or a team made up of a psychologist and a psychiatrist. They will help you determine what's at the root of your son's difficulties and work with you to put a plan in place. Don't leave this to chance.