That way, she is more likely to know exactly what to do and she is less likely to disappoint you. Your child may not admit it at this age, but she still wants to please you. Doing so motivates her. Disappointing you discourages her and may cause her to stop trying to learn.

So avoid general statements such as, “You need to do better in school.” Your child is left thinking, “How am I supposed to do that?” Instead, simply tell her. “This quarter, let’s agree that you will work an extra 10 minutes a night on math. And I’ll give you a practice quiz every Thursday. I believe you can do it, and I’m here to support you.”

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