How to Improve Your Child’s Study Habits
Parents may find it challenging to get their kids to study or complete their assignments almost gladly. When asked to complete their homework or review for the following day’s courses, some students tend to become agitated and occasionally even display hysterical behavior. We entirely understand if your child demonstrates the same behavior. The child may find it challenging enough to attend school and go through class, so spending an additional few hours studying may not be as appealing as playing or watching TV.
Still, this presents a problem for the majority of parents. The most crucial concept to grasp is that studying doesn’t have to be tedious or taxing for the student. Students wouldn’t mind spending a few hours studying because there are so many engaging and entertaining methods to do so.
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Why is forming study habits important?
For the most part, having good study habits makes it easier for parents to manage their children and make sure they are spending time studying for the current lessons they have or researching the next one. For students, good study habits are fundamental in preparation for their exams, especially major ones, and also making sure they are not getting left behind in day-to-day lessons. As such, these habits can also bloom forth other habits that may be useful for children as they grow older like utilizing notes effectively or improving their time management skills.
How to improve your child’s study habits?
At the end of the day, it’s important to note that making sure they are studying is not the only way for parents to support their children’s study habits. Habits have to take shape and be done consistently to be called so. Parents can help their children form good ones by making sure they have what they need to do so.
1. Create a conducive space for studying
Ensuring the child has an area to study is the first step in aiding focus. They might have a designated space for this so they can concentrate well and avoid outside distractions. Ideal conditions for the room include silence, airiness, adequate sunlight, cleanliness, and welcoming toward the child. Parents should, however, also take the atmosphere of the location into account. Too-snug a space can also be a distraction because it may place the child in such a cozy position that they decide to unwind rather than learn.
The absence of television or a child’s devices in the vicinity should also reduce the likelihood of distractions. As such, where they sit and the arrangement of their table can also influence how they pay attention. Additionally, compared to children whose study space faces the wall, those whose study space faces the window may be more susceptible to distractions from outside.
2. Let them keep a schedule
Even though following a schedule can be challenging, it’s not completely impossible. As a result, once the student becomes accustomed to the routine, studying on time becomes easy for them. Children might create a study schedule with their parents and be required to stick to it. Like anything else, they could initially lose track of their plans or stray off course. However, if something becomes regular for them, they start to become more used to it and begin to adhere to their schedule. As such, scheduling is useful for more than simply study time; it also aids in the child’s development of self-discipline and time management abilities.
3. Utilize a reward system
Although some people may view rewards as a kind of bribery, this isn’t necessarily the case. A child will be more driven to complete their assignment if they are studying with the prospect of a prize at the end. This can be as simple as allowing them to eat their favorite meal for dinner after finishing their homework or allowing them an hour to watch television after finishing their Math problems.
Simple methods to maintain the child’s enthusiasm for studying are helpful for both parents and child. It provides the student with incentive and encouragement to finish their tasks and it can help them stay motivated and focused while studying by making it more gratifying and pleasurable for them to look forward to their reward at the end of the work. Rewards shouldn’t be granted on a whim, though. The child should be completely aware of this from the start. Otherwise, it will sway more toward bribery and fail to provide the desired sort of motivation parents want from their children if the parent makes a promise to the child only once they start misbehaving.
4. Provide break times
Hours of studying may wear anyone out. It can even be more detrimental to children’s performance and may even exhaust them rather than keep them engaged. Children’s attention spans are shorter than those of adults. Children can’t sit still for lengthy amounts of time, unlike high school students, who can study for longer periods. Instead of expecting children to study nonstop for long periods, try to break up the time into manageable chunks. They can pass the time between activities by playing a few games or munching on some food. This can boost their energy and enable them to concentrate better during the remaining study time.
5. Pay attention to their questions
As little as they are, children are thinking beings who are also bursting with questions that need to be answered. Parents can assist their children by having their questions answered and broadening their grasp of topics by encouraging them to do so. Subsequently, parents ought to be patient when responding to their questions. They should encourage their children to openly ask them questions because children are inherently curious. And when you give them the answers, don’t act irritated or annoyed.
With that, children should also be encouraged to be able to find the answers to their questions. This can aid in their mental development and boost their self-assurance when they determine the answers to their questions. However, in some cases, parents can also assist in pointing children in the proper path so they can find the solutions to their inquiries.
6. Show your support
For a child, studying might already be challenging and parents should offer assistance to them as needed. But to be clear, parents should not complete their children’s homework for them. They can, however, assist them in finishing their assignments instead. It’s not the same as performing their task for them when you only help them. When parents notice their children becoming frustrated with their homework, they might instead assist. They can help in educating the child about the issue and dispelling any uncertainty they may have. Helping them out in these circumstances helps restore the child’s focus and interest in their academics while also fostering parent-child trust.
7. Hire a home tutor
Some parents will likely be too busy to assist their children with their homework or academics. However, there is a remedy for that in the shape of additional education provided by home tutors. A child who receives private tuition could get a customized approach that complements and extends what they have learned in school. Home tutors can also assist in evaluating the student’s homework and highlighting any areas that may need revision. Additionally, home tutors can aid in the development of other skills such as time management, test-taking strategies, and more in addition to aiding the child academically.
Conclusion
Helping a child with building good study habits is something every parent can do. We hope that the tips we’ve mentioned above have given you many ideas on how to help your child with their study time and ensure that they can reach their academic goals.
Carelle
Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.
