From the outside, studying may appear easy. Opening a book or notebook and reading through the study materials is all it takes for students to get ready for an exam or a quiz. However, it takes time and a certain mindset for students to prepare themselves for what’s required of them. Very often they come across certain study problems, and recognizing those problems and knowing exactly how to help your child overcome them can be very important. Here are some of them.

Insufficient motivation

This problem is probably the most frequent one when it comes to studying, and one that can have many causes, ranging from stress, fatigue and boredom, to disliking the teachers or being scared of failure. It’s important to find the root of the problem in order to solve it, so talk to your child and help them find out what’s wrong. You should also learn what it is that drives your child, and then work on that to overcome the lack of motivation. For example, your child may enjoy being praised by their teachers and regarded as successful by their peers, or having high grades and being able to go to any university they choose. Whatever their goal is, keep reminding them of it and explain that every small step they take brings them closer to achieving it.

Incomprehensive materials

Unlike other problems, which are based on the students’ inner state, this one is related solely to the study materials and is, therefore, easier to solve. If all your child needs is a new piece of equipment, such as a new laptop or some stationary, investing in those things will help them greatly. However, if the problem lies in their improper organization of notes and their inability to create coherent study materials, you can advise them to find the necessary books from the library, to get help from their teachers or peers, or you can suggest using an online platform. For instance, Australian students can rely on the Thinkswap online student community, where they can exchange the notes they have for the ones they don’t, and where they can easily download comprehensive notes created by former students.

Lack of focus

Just like losing motivation, this is a frequent study problem, and one for which it’s crucial to define the cause of. Often the problem is in the distractions, like noise or commotion around the student during study time. In this case, having a good study place can solve the problem, and if there isn’t one in your home or, in case of university students, the dorm room, they should try studying in the library. Other reasons for losing focus can be the habit of checking their social media accounts, or making frequent breaks to play video games, which is why you can encourage them to turn their phones, tablets and laptops off when they have to study. Also, they can have problems concentrating if they’re tired, overwhelmed with their tasks, their diet is inadequate or they don’t spend enough time outdoors. Suggest that they make a study schedule, in which they can include breaks, physical activity, and time to spend with their friends, as well as their meals.

Disliking the subject

Whether your child is in high school or at university, there has to be at least one subject they don’t like. When this happens, studying for this subject can be extremely hard, since they can consider it useless, boring or too difficult to understand. A good idea would be to talk to your child and think of ways this subject can be turned into a useful skill, and how it can be applied in their everyday life. Also, the grade they get in this subject is as important as any other, which is why they should bear in mind their long-term goals and simply force themselves to study and get it over with that subject.

Staying healthy and having a positive attitude will get your child wherever they want to go, so be there when they need encouragement and somebody to help them see that they can do anything when they set their mind to it.