"Does Your Child Hate Studying?"

When your child think that he/she dislike studying, there might be 3 areas that is causing this. I have to emphasize that this is a thinking, a perception. Humans are designed in such a way that they will like learning. To dislike learning, it only means that this child's perception of studying has been altered in certain ways.

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Parents
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Some parents did not create a good learning environment for their kids. A good environment meaning a place where the child can develop interest for learning. If the child is constantly bombarded by nagging/pressure at home when it comes to studying. This will create a negative feeling towards studying. Children can't blame their parents. Hence, they attributed this fault to 'study', which in turn generated a dislike for learning.

But this is not entirely the fault of the parents. Society has exerted pressure on families in such a way that pushing the child to study is important. I beg to differ. Studying should be nurtured as a skill that the child can find motivation in learning.


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Teachers
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Some subjects are presented in an interesting manner to students. This results in a very dynamic phenomena. These students will find learning or studying this subject is very motivating. There seems to be a magnet drawing them to the subject everyday and they look forward to the lessons.

Some teachers may be an expert in the subject but, they could not make the subject interesting. Children will describe these subjects as dry, boring, 'sian', stressful, etc. Children are driven by the pressures of school to just pass the subjects. They find it very difficult to motivate themselves to study for this subject. If majority of the subjects are taught in this manner, the child may conclude that he/she do not like studying. Again, this is a perception and can be corrected to bring back the interest in learning again for the child.


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Social Circles
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In my opinion, friends play the biggest role in determining your child's interest in studying. Put your child in a group of students who are interested in Science, and your child will soon be interested in Science also. Two forces are at work here. The continuing urge to fulfull the need to belong. And, the power of group dynamics. More people will bring more ideas to the group and hence make the subject interesting to your child.

In contrary, if your child mixes with friends that are all bored with studying, then your child will sink into that thinking also.

The difficult part here is that you cannot control the friends that your child make. Usually, if you choose friends for your child, he/she will find it difficult in accepting these people as friends. (Put yourself in their shoes!)

However, all is not lost here. Though we cannot choose the friends that they make, we can surely influence their choice. When i say influence, i do not mean nagging/scolding/forcing your child. It is more on appealing to the emotional side of your child and influence him/her. As this is a subject by its own, it is quite lengthy to be in a newsletter. This topic can be accessed in the premium subscription as an article by its own.


To summarise, your child's interest in learning is actually based on how parents, teachers and friends influenced them in their course of life. In Singapore, it is not easy to develop this interest in learning in midst of the many pressures that the parents and teachers faced. The development of interest is a long process and time and effort is required from both the parent and the child.

Feel free to email me at thelightbulbeffect@gmail.com for my free time-slots for private tuition.