| How do your kids handle time? Are they aware | | | | can achieve completion in less time (often much |
| of the hands of the clock?--the digital numbers' | | | | less time) than they thought. Then whoop it up, |
| flip?--or do they do what they do, whenever they | | | | pat 'em on the back, and make a really big deal |
| can? | | | | about their ability to use their time effectively. |
| Most Moms & Dads learn how to work | | | | Middle School Students suffer from |
| efficiently with time early on. Having kids requires | | | | "I-wanna-do-anything-else" Disorder |
| a sense of intervals--between feedings, between | | | | Middle School Students can be pretty contrary |
| diaper changes, between nap-times. But lots of | | | | sometimes. They are easily distracted from |
| kids might be missing the opportunity to learn this | | | | must-do tasks by friends, phones, TV and Video |
| important skill, mostly because their parents | | | | Games. And (inconveniently) their developmental |
| handle the time-telling for them. When we tell | | | | challenge is to discover and practice new-found |
| them when to do what, we don't allow them to | | | | independence behaviors. This combination of |
| learn about time--or to become responsible for | | | | circumstances makes it difficult for some kids to |
| their own time management. | | | | take school seriously and to adopt a |
| What does this have to do with "Homework"? | | | | to-heck-with-the-consequences attitude! |
| The answer might be found in the answer to | | | | Time management for this age level is a tad |
| another question parents and kids have to | | | | more difficult. It requires a sense of balance and |
| consider: "How much time will homework take to | | | | compromise. To exercise their independence, kids |
| complete?" | | | | this age respond well to choices and options. You |
| Our perception of time varies based upon many | | | | may need to be more vigilant about monitoring |
| factors. Do we want to do what has to be done? | | | | homework activity and success, as they can be |
| Do we feel deprived if we must use our "free" | | | | exceptionally sly. However, when it is determined |
| time to do something we don't want to do? Do | | | | homework is assigned and must be completed, |
| we imagine there a more desirable activity we | | | | using the time-management skill of "first this, and |
| want to do that interferes in our ability to | | | | then that" may be a useful homework strategy. |
| concentrate on the lesser desirable task at hand? | | | | Never, Never, NEVER give your child the option to |
| Let's see a show of hands: Who really likes to | | | | play first and then work later. You won't be |
| study or do their homework? Who can think of | | | | pleased with the outcome. Instead, offer this |
| something else they'd rather do? And Who thinks | | | | query: "When do you think would be a good time |
| that effective 'time management is an important | | | | to do your homework so you can ______ |
| key to encouraging kids to willingly complete their | | | | afterwards? " This gives your budding individualist |
| homework? Following are some components of | | | | the opportunity to decide WHEN to do his/her |
| time management that can make the task of | | | | homework--but doesn't offer permission to |
| Homework easier for kids and YOU. | | | | procrastinate or to "forget" it. |
| Younger students often suffer from "It'll take | | | | High School Students suffer from "Sheer |
| FOREVER" Disorder | | | | Exhaustion" Disorder |
| Give a kid a task that he/she doesn't want to do | | | | When kids reach high school, they envision |
| and ask, "How long do you think it will take?" Most | | | | themselves as mature and able to make their |
| kids are likely to answer some version of | | | | own practical decisions. Often their faulty notion of |
| "forever!" Lots of kids really don't have an idea | | | | time-management is to skip sleeping when they |
| about how long 10 minutes is--or how long 30 | | | | run out of time to do everything they need or |
| minutes is--or how long 60 minutes is. Their sense | | | | want to do. So, they cram everything into their |
| of time is subjective, influenced by their feelings | | | | day that they can and often leave homework to |
| about what happens during that time interval--fun | | | | the last --when they are least likely to benefit |
| activities are over in a flash and distasteful tasks | | | | from it. |
| take a long time. | | | | What teenagers learn about time management |
| The trick to encourage younger kids to complete | | | | may determine how they will view and act upon |
| their homework is to break the process down | | | | their priorities as adults. The trick for this age |
| into chunks in which the kid can achieve success | | | | group is to revisit the "chunking" principle. Using an |
| and satisfaction. This suggests that homework | | | | organizational agenda or calendar can often help |
| time should be broken down into subject | | | | teens prioritize and choose how to use their time, |
| components (ie spelling homework, math | | | | where to allocate fun, when to reserve time for |
| homework, or science homework). Each portion | | | | school work and assure that they still get some |
| completed is cause for celebration and admiration. | | | | sleep. |
| Also, when a kid achieves completion and success | | | | Although it is sometimes difficult to interject the |
| on one portion, he/she is more likely to willingly | | | | notion of organizing time (because lots of |
| start out on another portion. | | | | teenagers already know-it-all), it is useful for them |
| Younger kids are also very responsive to setting | | | | to observe your method of organizing your time |
| timers and a beat-the-clock competition. They find | | | | and keeping track of your obligations and events. |
| a comfort in the mechanical certainty of the clock | | | | And, in that vein, it is useful to provide a |
| or timer rather than the arbitrary sense of vague | | | | day-planner or calendar for your teenager so he |
| parental terms like "soon" or "in a minute" or "not | | | | she can practice the skills of listing events, |
| too long". So, ask your child how long he/she | | | | estimating time requirements and organizing |
| thinks a homework project will take--and then set | | | | time-slots according to priorities. Then, it is your |
| a timer for that amount of time. Because kids | | | | job to notice and acknowledge how much easier |
| usually over-estimate ('cause it'll take FOREVER!), | | | | and effective your teen makes it through each |
| they are encouraged when they discover they | | | | challenge. |