When should I stop tutoring my child myself?

When a child first enters school it is usually easy to help him or her out with homework.  Parents often plan on continuing to provide after-school help for as long as possible.  The question then becomes: when should I stop tutoring my child myself?  While there is no one correct answer to this question, we have put together a list of red flags that it may be time to look into getting outside help.

1. School has become a source of conflict in your relationship.  Many parents are intellectually capable of doing the school work their child is asked to complete at home.  Issues can arise however, when the student is not receptive to the parent’s teaching style.  Parenting is a job that requires wearing many hats.  From convincing kids to consider the benefits of leafy greens to early bedtimes, most seasoned parents agree that it is important to pick one’s battles.  If homework and grades are causing stress and arguments, tutoring can be a tool that not only addresses academics, but also prevents additional strain on the parent-child relationship.
2. Academic goals are not being met.  Report cards have just come out – and the results are in.  If your child’s grades did not reflect his or her intelligence or potential, it is time to rethink learning strategies.  A tutor can take a global look at a student’s strengths and weaknesses to pinpoint what is going wrong.  Is the child unprepared for tests? Disorganized and missing assignments? Or maybe he or she is bored in a group setting and needs more personalized attention in order to engage in the material?  Whatever the case may be, disappointing grades are a sign that it is time to take a different approach.
3. Too many time constraints.  Juggling a household full of busy schedules is no easy feat.  Between soccer practice, the orthodontist, and getting dinner on the table, the remaining time left in the evening is nothing short of a precious commodity.  If your family has a lot going on in the after-school hours, if you feel like you are spreading yourself too thinly between your children, work, and maintaining a household, help is out there.  People delegate tasks to house cleaners, dog walkers, gardeners and personal chefs not necessarily because they are incapable of doing it themselves, rather it is a choice that frees up valuable time.  With the help of a tutor families can continue to prioritize academics without having to run themselves ragged fitting in all the many competing after-school time commitments.