advicefromsurvivors:

If your kid really isn’t doing their best, there’s a very good chance that it’s not out of simple laziness. I didn’t do my best because I was a depressed gay kid with social anxiety attending a small private Christian school. I’m betting that most kids whose grades are lower than they could be have a very good reason for not prioritizing their schoolwork, and if they’re like I was, that reason is “I’m just doing what I have to do to get through the day.” So instead of yelling, screaming, and punishing, try talking to your kids, making them feel safe and comfortable, and getting to the bottom of why they’re not doing as well as they could.