Do you know how you’ll respond when your child’s report card comes home? Whether or not grades meet our expectations or our child’s, our response can help motivate our child and provide a chance to learn. Are social skills an issue? Does you son’s lack of organization and poor study skills translate into lower grades? Perhaps he is struggling only in one subject.

All these scenarios are considered and tips provided in Parents’ Custom Report Card on FamilyEducation.com.

Perhaps, for example, your child works very hard, but her grades are low or she’s not working to her potential:

If your child’s report card doesn’t jibe with his ability, you may need to do a bit of detective work to figure out why. A lack of motivation can come from frustration at not being able to do schoolwork. Rather than admit they can’t do it, some children will just give up or pretend not to care. Lack of motivation can also be an indicator of other problems.

• Ask your child what’s going on out on the playground, in class, and at lunch.
• Ask him if the work seems too hard, but be on guard — you may not get an honest answer.

You’re the expert on your child. Through caring questions, you can find the underlying reasons for unsatisfactory grades.

Some problems can be addressed with outside help. Individualized tutoring is successful for many; for some students, it is recommended by pediatricians.