A recent comment on this site is especially timely for the holiday season when many students are receiving report cards and mid or end-of-semester grades. Molli wrote:

"What about report card time? Parents often put kids down then and totally destroy their self esteem/confidence. How can this be prevented?"

Unfortunately, Molli's concerns are common. Whether expected or not, bad report card grades can be stressful for children and parents. Both parents and teachers who mean well sometimes show their concern for students in negative ways. A bad report card should not be a situation that destroys a student's confidence or negatively affects a student's self-esteem. Learn ways you can ways to turn bad report cards into good learning experiences.