Back to Kids Situations
Got a Bad Grade
Receiving a disappointing mark on a test, assignment, or report card.
Guide for Parents
What's Happening
A bad grade feels like proof of being stupid or incapable. For kids with RSD, it's not just academic disappointment - it's an attack on their core worth.
What They're Feeling
Shame, the belief that they're "dumb," fear of disappointing you, and often catastrophic thinking about their entire future ("I'll never succeed at anything").
Watch For
Hiding grades from you, extreme perfectionism, giving up before trying, anxiety before tests, or claiming the subject "doesn't matter anyway" (defensive avoidance).