Encouraging a Growth Mindset and Identifying Stressors

It is a common perception that guys perform better than girls for Mathematics and that girls are more inclined towards the Arts and Biology. However, individuals should not be limited by societal expectations. Such blind ideologies only do more harm than good and should be permanently eradicated. The freedom to choose what they enjoy should lie with the individual, and society should not dictate one’s choices. Since parents are their child’s first contact point, it would be highly beneficial for parents to encourage exposure to various subject matters and also create opportunities for learning by incorporating activities such as visits to museums, science centres, exhibitions and talks by professionals who are widely known in their area of specialisation, into family time.

Growth should not be an individual effort and as the old African proverb opines, “It takes a village to raise a child”. By going for such activities, even parents who are now jaded due to age will have as much to learn as their children. Education is a lifelong process and there will always be countless opportunities that one can garner knowledge from, so long they open their minds and are receptive to new information.

As such, parents can encourage their children to not only excel, but also enjoy the study of Mathematics by growing alongside them. They can check in on their children’s progress with the subject, go for financial talks, or even pull out Ted talk videos on Mathematics from YouTube, which surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) have millions of views. This all goes to show how the Mathematics scene is not as dry and dull as one would think, but is instead vibrant and thought provoking. Parents who can afford the cost can also consider engaging private H2 Maths Tuition tutors so that their child can have more personal guidance. Private H2 Maths Tuition may spark an interest in their child since teachers can adjust their teaching pace according to their tutees needs. This is as opposed to sending your child to a group H2 Maths Tuition, where queries may go unanswered and requirements unmet. That being said, sending your child for a group H2 Maths Tuition can be just as effective if the size of the group is small and the tutor is attentive.

Next, to allow your child to reach his or her maximum potential, it is also important to be cognisant of major stressors in your child’s life. As parents, your child’s emotional, physical and mental well-being should be of utmost priority. Good grades are one thing but they will only take your child so far before he or she suffers from a mental breakdown and burns out from overworking themselves.

Since the journey to academic success is a long winded one, endurance is a key quality that students must have and it can only cultivated with sufficient moral support. As such, it is vital to be aware of the struggles that your child may be facing in life and this can only be known through frequent communication with him or her.

The following is a list of symptoms that is indicative of high levels of stress:

1. Headaches

If your child is complaining of frequent headaches and also neck pain despite having the recommended amount of sleep (7-8 hours per day), this could be a sign of being overly stressed. Other causes of headaches include a lack of sleep and dehydration.

2. Constant Fatigue

If they are constantly tired too despite having enough rest, this could be an indicator of prolonged stress. Your child feels sleepy even after sleeping for most of the day and appears sluggish in movement.

3. Frequent Sickness

If your child is falling sick easily, high stress levels may be the reason for this. Stress negatively affects ones immune system and increases susceptibility to infections.

4. Frequent Outbursts

If your child seems to be very easily triggered these days and has sudden emotional outbursts for seemingly no reason, he or she could be immensely stressed. They may be stressed to a point where they are unable to control and manage their emotions. They may experience terrible mood swings and seem happy one moment but down in the dumps the next. This is a critical sign and should not be taken lightly by parents.

5. Digestive Issues

Long-term stress can also result in digestive problems and they may suffer from indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation and in worse cases, gastroesophageal reflux disease. Knowing this, parents should look out for their children and ensure that they are not skipping meals. They should also make sure that their children are consuming well-balanced meals that contain all the nutrients they require to be healthy.

6. Change of appetite

Change of appetite is a separate issue from unintentionally skipping meals. Different people react in dissimilar ways to stress, some may end up having no appetite to eat at all while others will stress eat and ravenously consume large amounts of food.

Hence, in order to prevent symptoms from worsening and your child from slipping into depression or anxiety, it is important to look out for these warning signs and react appropriately.

Parents can help to reduce the stress their children face through a number of ways. They should make sure that their children get an adequate amount of sleep and quality rest time – be it watching their favourite TV dramas, playing computer games, reading or going out for meals with friends. They also can help by making sure their children are eating a healthy, balanced diet. Parents can also set aside time to talk to their children after each school day to find out how they are doing. This may seem like a simple act but it goes a long way in encouraging children to open up to parents when they meet with difficulties in life.

Furthermore, if parents find out that their child is struggling with a particular subject in school, take for example, H2 Maths, they can provide aid by finding them a suitable H2 Maths Tuition. They should discuss the possible H2 Maths Tuition options there are, such as enrolling in group H2 Maths Tuition class or engaging a private H2 Maths Tuition teacher. Your child’s preferences and concerns should preside over yours and be the dominant consideration in the process of selecting the right H2 Maths Tuition for him or her.

In conclusion, keep in mind that your child’s life in JC is not the ultimatum. Many students manage to excel in University, despite coming from the bottom of the class in Junior College. It is not as out of the ordinary as it seems. In university, students will be able to select a course that they actually have interest in. Instead of being stuck in the “Science stream” or the “Arts stream”, they will have the opportunity to explore areas of studies that they were previously restricted from. As parents, you wouldn’t wish for your child to burn out before the end of the race (graduation from university), even then, there are plenty of opportunities to develop even when your child enters the workforce.