That’s not going to happen because our kids’ lives are consumed with enough school activity that adding one more commitment to the mix is not going to make a happy camper, or shall we say, student?

Recently, we wrote about erasing the stigma associated with tutoring and how kids’ minds tend to gravitate toward everything negative: this is a punishment; you’re mad at me for not getting better grades; I don’t need a reminder about my bad grades; etc. 

If it’s a shared decision between you and your child, it will make tutoring a more successful experience for them, which is why achieving their buy-in is very important. 

Let’s take a look how. 

Tutoring is in the process of an image adjustment, but in the meantime, some kids just aren’t vibing with tutoring as something empowering to them. As we noted above, kids will probably groan at you for broaching the subject. 

Accept and expect this. Make sure that your kids feel heard. Validate their complaints, and then discuss the upside. 

The whole idea of buy-in is to get your kids to identify how tutoring can help them. 

This may sound ridiculous, but it can be easier than you think. Start by asking questions:

• How do you feel about (the class they’re struggling in) and how you’re doing?
• What if your grades improved? How would you feel then?
• What if someone cool--not me because we fight when I try helping you with your homework--could help you understand the class better so that homework and quizzes and tests would be easier? 

Kids are wise and will catch onto your “trick” here, but they’re not going to say that having more success in class will make them feel less confident. 

You can take it a step further and dangle a carrot in the form of a reward. 

Giving kids a say is always a good approach. Sure, they may come back with something unreasonable when you ask what kind of tutor they wish to work with and what they want to accomplish, but you’ll be able to distill something tangible. 

When you ask, “What do you want?” It can go a long way and make your search easier. You may learn that your child prefers a younger tutor whom they identify with more, or maybe it’s someone older and more seasoned. Despite getting poor grades in science, they could still like the teacher and want to work with a tutor with a similar background. 

It’s not going to be an easy conversation, but it doesn’t have to be terribly difficult either. You will eventually match your child with the right tutor because you took the time to listen to them. They will appreciate you for that, along with becoming better students. 

Club Z! Tutoring of Glenbrook specializes in providing individualized, in-home and virtual tutoring for students K - 12 in Northbrook and Glenview. If you want your child to work on developing skills that will translate to improved grades and self-esteem, contact us today at: bbalatsos@clubztutoring.com. You can also reach us at 847-440-3440 and by visiting clubztutoringglenbrook.com