Some children find it easy to get ready for school on time, turn in classwork when it’s due, and finish homework with extra time to play.
Others are always rushing around and struggle to get everything done.
The difference, good time management skills.
Here are three strategies for helping children manage their time wisely.
Be realistic.
Planning ahead will be easier if your child knows how long it takes him to finish homework or practice the piano. Ecnourage her to estimate the time accurately by timing them on each task for one week. Then, they will have a better idea of how long to expect for doing addition problems vs. practicing the violin.
No more multitasking.
Your child may think they can watch TV while reading their science book, but chances are it’ll take him twice as long and he will be more likely to miss important information he will need for science class. Keep TV and technology seperate from school work and instrument practice. If your child doesn’t believe you, have them read one page with the TV on and one page with it off and then have them tell you about what they read. They will probably remember more when they aren’t watching TV.
Break things down.
Help your children divide projects into chunks and pencil in each step on a calendar. (For example, do research, write introduction, create visual aids.) The same strategy works for studying and tests. Teach you child to budget their time for the exam. If it is a 20 minute, 2-part test, they should scan the sections and plan accordingly. (10 minutes for each section).
Time management is a really hard concept for our children to understand. Make time more tangible and watch as they become better and better at managing it. And remember, we need to be realistic about what we expect from them. Our 5 year old is not going to be as good at time management as our 15 should be. It takes time and practice.
Have a question, or just want to say hello? You can find me at FamilyVolley.com. On Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Or send me an email. I love making new friends.
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
Would you like more Recipes, DIY, Printables and Organization Ideas?
Subscribing to the newsletter will enable us to periodically send you creative content exclusively for Idea Room subscribers.
*View our Privacy Policy here.
Leave a Reply