Place grade requirements on after-school activity participation. At most schools, students are required to maintain acceptable grades in order to participate in after-school activities. If your child's school does not place these restrictions on after-school activity participation, parents can set their own grade requirement, forcing students to keep up their academic standing if they wish to continue enjoying their favorite extra-curricular activity.
Create a standard schedule. In the absence of a schedule, children often squander their time, spending hours watching TV or participating in video games. When a child's schedule is full, he is forced to spend time engaging in more productive pursuits. Extra-curricular activities fill a child's schedule, creating a natural routine by which children must abide.
Partner students with high-performing peers. Often, the students who participate in after-school activities are motivated and academically sound. When students join in extra-curricular pursuits with these self-motivated students, they form friendships and camaraderie. Seeing the examples set by these motivated students, other children put more effort into achieving high grades.
Create a supportive relationship with an adult activity coordinator. Activity advisers and coaches frequently push students to reach their potential, just as the student's parents might. This addition of another supportive adult presence in the life of a child can encourage that child to focus on academics and work to make the adults who care about them proud.
Allow students to experience pride in a job well done. After-school activities hone students' intrinsic motivation. As children experience success in extra-curricular activities such as sports or clubs, they see how success can feel. After recognizing the natural joy of achievement, many students work to attain the same level of success in their academics.