At the end of every school year, kids begin to get bored and feel that the school year is almost over, so why keep trying. This is known as senioritis and is a major problem, as this can make or break a school year. Here are some anti-senioritis strategies, both for parents and the kids:
- Parents, remind the child that although the year is almost up, there is still a lot that could go wrong. If he has positive pressure, he may keep working hard and not fold. He needs to realize that the end of the year is close, but not that close. Kids must remember this, too, knowing that one or two unfinished assignments could cause them to receive a failing grade, which could fail them for the year.
- Parents, also try to cut deals with your child. Tell her that she could get something for finishing the year with As and/or Bs, maybe even an offer for completing all assignments on time.
- Also, use negative consequences at the same time. Tell him that if he gets a C or less or misses an assignment, he will lose something, like a privilege. Also, students, remember what you could lose when you slump. You could lose a privilege, or even money, as it could effect college. Looking down the road, education has never been more important to future earning potential. Fifty years ago, 60 percent of the jobs in this country were unskilled, meaning that dropouts or those with high school diplomas. Today, only 20 percent of jobs fit this category. Students with a high school diploma can expect to earn less than 60 percent of what a student with a college degree earns during the course of her working career. For men, high school graduates can expect to earn slightly more than $30,000 a year, while college graduates average about $55,000 a year.
There may be a lot left in the school year, so don’t just give up. Giving up too soon can bite you in the butt, and even limit your future income.