Why Does My Child Hate School? Understanding the Underlying Causes of Poor Motivation

“I hate school!” This is difficult to hear from your child. You want them to succeed, to participate, and to enjoy learning. But when they are struggling in this way, understanding the underlying causes of poor motivation can be difficult. If your child dreads going to school, it’s important to understand why and what you can do about it.

Cognitive Skills, Learning and Motivation

One common driver that impacts children who struggle with school is weak cognitive skills. Cognitive skills are the brain’s tools for learning, processing information, and remembering what’s been taught. When these skills are functioning below their potential, even the brightest kids can find school frustrating and exhausting – impacting motivation.

While weaknesses in any cognitive skills can be the reason for low motivation, below are 3 of the most common  cogntive skills impacts on motivation: 

• Attention weaknesses can deeply impact a child’s school experience. Children who struggle with attention often find it difficult to stay focused during lessons, leading to gaps in understanding and a feeling of being constantly behind. Depending on the classroom environment, kids who struggle with attention (or have ADHD) are often “called out” for behavior issues contributing to school being a negative experience.  
• Processing speed is another crucial skill. Kids with slow processing speed might understand the material but need more time to complete tasks or tests. When processing speed is slow, kids must exert much more mental effort to keep up and stay on task, leading to mental fatigue as well as struggles to engage in homework given the extra effort they had to put forth during the school day.
• Memory, both short-term and long-term memory is rquired for retaining information. If your child has trouble remembering instructions or recalling facts during exams, they may feel constantly anxious, which can sap their motivation and interest in school.  It can also lead to missed assignments and the need to be retaught information while completing homework. 

The Vicious Cycle of Low Confidence in Students Who Hate School

When kids struggle with weak cognitive skills or face emotional challenges, they often develop low confidence. This lack of self-belief and negative self-talk can lead to an assumption they can’t do the work, expecting to fail, so they don’t try and lack the ability to persevere through difficult tasks.  Over time, this can create more negative feelings toward school and homework.

How LearningRx Can Help

At LearningRx in Woodbury, we understand that every child’s brain is different.  Our initial assessment identifies the root cause of motivation issues and our one-on-one brain training programs target the cognitive skills that are essential for learning and school success. By strengthening weak cognitive skills, we help children and families get down to the root of the struggle. Past clients report not only improved functioning cognitively, but also real-life improvements like better school performance, improved confidence and better relational skills.

When kids struggle with school and motivation, parents often seek the help of a tutor.  However, this just replicates the struggle of the classroom because it feels like more school. LearningRx takes a drastically different approach: instead of feeling like a dry academic environment, our training is fun, engaging, and game-like.

In addition, peer-reviewed research published in Frontiers in Education, showed that LearningRx training reduces academic difficulty and oppositional behavior, while also strengthening cognitive skills like attention, memory and processing speed. By making school and homework easier, LearningRx training improves motivation.

Take the First Step: Schedule a Cognitive Assessment

If your child hates school, it’s time to get to the root of the problem. A cognitive assessment at LearningRx Woodbury can help identify specific weaknesses and provide a roadmap for improvement. Don’t wait—schedule an assessment today and start your child on the path to a more positive and successful school experience.