All parents want their children to study hard. This is actually one of the things that make studying difficult for some children. A better phrasing would be to study well. This is a more positive perspective. At a young age, you have to instill the love for learning and the continuous yearning for knowledge in your children. You cannot achieve this by forcing a pencil in his tiny hands and making him write his name over and over for a stretch of time. You have to make studying and learning fun for your kids. It’s not supposed to be a burdensome task.
the continuous yearning for knowledge in your children.
To develop the right study habits in children, you have to start with a few key ideas:
1. You need to have the right tools in the right place. Put his books, crayons, and activity sheets in a designated space. Invest in a study table for your child. You can start with the miniature colored tables and stools for your toddlers. As he grows, you might have to buy new furniture. If you have a home office, you can even have space for him so that you can “work” together.
2. You need to make studying a constant part of his routine. Consistency and regularity is an important part of developing study habits for children. Just like playtime and TV time, you have to set aside a regular study time every day. When you do this, he gets used to having a chunk of time sitting on his study table. As he starts schooling, he simply has to follow the same routine and review his lessons. You don’t even have to remind him anymore about what he’s supposed to do.
3. You need to make sure that he is having fun. Study time becomes such a chore when your child is not enjoying himself, when he feels stressed out, or when he feels pressured. Resist the urge to nag him about what he needs to do. Even more importantly, do not punish him for not getting perfect marks in his quizzes and schoolwork. Ask him about what interesting new things he learned at school. Be observant and you’ll pick cues on what he enjoys the most and what he needs help with. The best study habits for children are developed by making use of these observations rather than forcing your child to bury his nose into his textbooks.
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