Creating a study plan for a kid can be challenging, especially due to their age-related concerns. Kids are in a self-discovery period where they are playful and more involved in fun activities. At this stage, fun is the language they understand. You have to step in to help your kid transform from having fun all day to having serious study time. It’s not easy, but as a parent, you must guide the kid to make the hard yet profitable and transforming decisions. Besides, by setting an effective study timetable, a kid is able to learn effective time management at an early age, which will be crucial in young adulthood and other stages of life. Here’s how to help your kid make an effective study timetable.
Identify Priorities and Allocate Time Wisely
Setting priorities is important in everything we do. For instance, when you have assignments to write, you need to prioritize those with short deadlines. Otherwise, you might fail to complete them in time or will have to hire writers from sites like EssayUSA to avoid missing the deadline. Prioritization also applies to kids’ study timetables.
Kids are forgetful, and thus, you should help them identify priorities. Sit down with your kid and write all the academic activities for the time the schedule will be used. Ask the child to bring all the books and study materials, go through them together, and identify the assignments, projects, or exams indicated in the course materials. After identifying all the activities, arrange them according to the most urgent ones and allocate time wisely. Also, consider your kid’s strengths and weaknesses. Ask them what subjects they find hard to understand and allocate more time to them.
Involve Your Child
There is a temptation to do all the work for the kid and give them the final study timetable. That’s not a good idea. Your kid needs to learn how to make an effective study timetable. They have to bear a part of the responsibilities, and you should involve them every step of the way. For instance, take a book and tell them to highlight all the assignments due that week. Involving them makes them a part of the process, making them own and not just be at the receiving end to your plans. Trusting kids with activities is usually interpreted as a sign of trust, which helps them build confidence when performing other tasks.
Set Realistic Goals
Once you have identified all the priorities, help your kid create SMART goals. Academic goals have to be realistic based on the child’s strengths. They should be achievable without denying the kid a chance to have a fun or normal life. Break down tasks into smaller attainable goals that don’t strain the kid. Besides, the objectives should be relevant depending on the kid’s age and time-bound to ensure they are at par with and can meet academic deadlines.
Realistic goals can be reading a storybook chapter and writing a short composition at the end of the week to be submitted by Saturday evening. You can help your kid set goals on finishing assignments before the due date or spread them evenly within the week to avoid a last-minute rush.
Create a Routine
Creating a routine is the mother of all habits. For a study timetable to work, you must help your kid establish a routine that syncs with their daily activities, interests, and rhythms. To enforce a routine, you have to be a bit strict and show the kid that you mean business. It involves setting sleeping, waking up, meal, and study times. These activities should be outlined well to create flow within the day.
You can introduce “must-do” activities. For instance, washing the face, arranging the room, sleeping on time, and not extending to watch TV or play games. If the study time is at 10 a.m., ensure everything is set and the kid is studying the right subject at the study table. With repetition and consistency, routines become a habit, making it easier to practice daily. You need to show your kid the importance of creating positive habits and cultivating discipline to carry out productive tasks.
Factor In Extracurricular Activities to Make Reading Fun
Even in college, students don’t bury themselves in books all through. Breaks are necessary as they help rejuvenate the body. It’s a reason some collegians delegate their assignments to a college essay writing service. They do it to get time to relax and do other personal things. Teach your child that there’s no harm in having fun and pursuing other interests besides academics. Observe what the child likes and set aside time to allow them to commit to the activities. For instance, if they love swimming, outdoor activities, or playing video games, create time for it.
You can utilize the games to improve some of the kid’s skills. For instance, you can create time for games involving counting to boost their mathematics skills. You can also leverage technology to create an unforgettable experience. Technology such as virtual reality and augmented learning allows you to create anything. If your kid loves animals, use virtual reality to take the kid to the park. By factoring in fun activities, you are able to create a plan that supports study and life balance.
Use Visual Aids
Make the study timetable look appealing. You can use colorful charts or digital calendars to brighten it. For instance, you can shade red on urgent tasks, yellow on less urgent tasks, and green on tasks with more time to complete. If activities can be described with stickers, you can apply them. For instance, during wake-up time, you can use a clock sticker, a snack sticker for breakfast, and a book for study time. Make the schedule look fun.
Closing Remarks
Kids can find it hard to create a timetable that allows for academic balance and fun activities. It’s the parent’s duty to help the child develop an effective study timetable that supports the required balance. While the first instinct is to create a timetable and pin it on the wall for the kid to read, it’s not a good idea. Approach it by identifying priorities, setting realistic goals, and creating time for extracurricular activities. Also, help your kid create a routine that syncs with their personality. Lastly, make it engaging and fun by incorporating visual aids.
