Fourth grade is a special time for your child. School is starting to become more demanding and there are more changes in their friend groups. For a lot of kids, this can be a stressful time. Things may not seem very complicated to you, but your child may be struggling with a few different things.
Problem Areas
As far as their schoolwork is concerned, they have a lot more expectations to work for. They are working harder during the day with more challenging classes than before. Your child will need to use a lot more of their time management skills and learn to organize themselves independently. There’s an especially greater focus on writing, with more essays, prompts, and written responses for their homework.
If your child is already a struggling writer or could just use more support as things get more complicated, it may be a good idea to enroll them in the writing program at Genie Academy so they can get the practice and feedback they need to do better in and out of class. Writing is an essential skill that is only going to get more important as they advance in school, so you should make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in this area if you see them struggling with their work.
Fourth grade is also a big time for standardized testing. It’s common for students at this age to start to worry about passing their tests as their teachers are working to prepare them. Worrying about an upcoming test is normal, but if your child is persistently worried about their tests, you should talk to them about it and try to find a solution.
Social Struggles
Outside of school, your child is starting to be more aware of the power of having friends. They will likely spend more of their energy and efforts trying to make and keep their friendships. As a result, they can run into a lot of trouble with peer pressure. It can be helpful for you to encourage your child to connect with other kids and to regularly check in with them about the groups forming in their class.
By the time they get into fourth grade, your child is also becoming more aware of global events and how this affects them. Some of these things can be troubling for your child. Problems like climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and even the political climate around them can give them anxiety. Although it’s important for your child to learn about the world around them, it’s equally important to reassure them that they and your family will be ok. It’s normal for them to experience some sadness, worry, or even anger when learning about global issues, but if they are worrying constantly about these things, you will need to intervene.
Although they are growing up fast, it’s good to remember that they are still young. Fourth grade is when their academic career is starting to pick up speed. Remind your child they can do anything they work hard at, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or tutoring if they need it.
Source: https://www.understood.org/articles/en/why-fourth-grade-is-hard
