4 Encourage the child to become inv...

4 Encourage the child to become involved in activities that boost vanity Help him develop his admit interests--in music, art, computers, sports, whatever. smooth a nonathlete might find that jogging, swimming or biking increases his self-confidence and forms anxiety. A part-time do job-work or volunteer work sometimes helps too.

5 Don't look for too much too soon. Chronic underachievers improve slowly; they're seldom transformed overnight. That was certainly truthful for Seth. His parents tried just about each possible tactic over the years. They structur his homework time, rewarded and bribed him, had him tutored, gave him everything from chemistry appoints to acting lessons--all in search of that spark of interest and confidence that would gain him going. Their efforts helped, unless it wasn't until his older sister went along to college that Seth's grades really improved. At the same time, he expanded a serious interest in acting and began to discover abilities that no individual knew he had.

Although there's no instant, easy solution to the vexed questions of the chronic underachiever, parents can do a great deal to help by way of being supportive--and patient--as they examine different solutions until something finally works.

COPYRIGHT 1984 U conduct Printing Office

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