One of the biggest areas of resistance to getting help with school that I hear from students is that they look at tutoring as something for “stupid kids”. If you admit that you need academic support, aren’t you admitting you aren’t as smart as the people who don’t need it? Of course, once they start coming in to the center, and they see lots of the people they viewed as the “smart kids” those preconceptions melt away. There are no "stupid" kids...there are just kids that need help with something, and there is no person on Earth that doesn't need help with something! When I meet with students for a consultation, I tell them that everyone needs help sometimes, and not admitting that you need help causes more pain. Then I tell them this story. I’ve never put much emphasis on physical fitness in my life. Yes, I knew intellectually that I needed to take care of my body, but I’ve been lucky as far as health throughout my life (no serious sicknesses or illnesses) so I just kind of pushed it out of my mind. About a year ago, I was sitting in the driver’s seat of my car, when I reached back to grab my seat belt, and suddenly recoiled in pain. I had pulled a muscle in my back and started having spasms. My body was so weak and inflexible, making a motion as simple as reaching behind me caused me a painful sprain. At the time, my daughter was two years old, and I realized that if I didn’t start taking better care of my body, I had no idea what kind of poor physical shape I'd be in by the time she is a teenager. So what did I do? I got a personal trainer. And it wasn’t because I didn’t know that I needed to exercise. It was because I knew that I needed someone to hold me accountable. I needed someone to push me. And yes, I learned a lot from her too. And let me tell you, despite how I “knew” I needed to exercise to take care of my body, I never worked harder in my life the day I went in for that first session. Athletes that get paid millions of dollars per year have personal trainers...does that mean they are weak, or is that the REASON they are strong? Realizing that you are struggling to do something alone doesn’t make you weak or dumb. Everyone needs help sometimes. Everyone needs a coach, a mentor, or a partner. The smart thing to do is to get the help you need. Want to make sure your child starts second semester off on the right foot? Give us a call to schedule an in-person or phone consultation!