#AD – This is a collaborative post
Generally speaking, when it comes to your child’s academic journey, your involvement can truly determine their success. With that said, when the time comes for your child to pick their GCSE subjects, they will need your full support. Lots of children have known what they want to study from a very young age and will have their path mapped out, but others find the experience quite intimidating and therefore need a little bit more guidance before they can make a confident decision. If you’re unsure where to start with regards to helping your child choose their GCSE subjects, here’s some advice from a private college in London.
When approaching the subject with your child, try and maintain a positive attitude. Remind them that it’s an exciting opportunity to really focus on the subjects that they actually enjoy. It’s a stressful and daunting experience for young people, so its important that the people around them are optimistic and upbeat to lift their spirits. Make sure they know they have your full support; they should feel comfortable approaching you with any questions they might have. Look out for signs that your child might be feeling overwhelmed and step in when you need to.
Take some time to have a one-to-one chat with your child and ask them about which of their subjects they enjoy the most. If they don’t enjoy a subject, they’re unlikely to get good grades, as they won’t have any motivation to try hard. Weigh up all of the options, include which doors will be unlocked in the future if your child takes a particular subject. Ask them if they’d like to go to university and what the pros and cons are. Essentially, the trick is to help your child acknowledge their academic strengths and how they could be beneficial in the future.
If your child does have a specific career route in mind, you could do some research and perhaps seek out some advice regarding the qualifications required to secure a role in that particular industry. Getting as much information as you can on what sort of career each subject might lead to should help your child with at least some of their subject choices. However, it’s important to encourage your child to choose a range of subjects that will allow them to explore and develop a variety of skills. By doing so, they will keep their options open in case they have a change of heart about their career later down the line.