Time management has always been a challenge for children, and that was before they were home all day, every day, with all of their “time sinks” at arm’s length. Do not worry. Teaching time management skills to kids could become easy by following the right direction. Continue reading to know more about it:
How can parents teach kids time management?
#1 Start Early:
Everything is easier to understand when kids are introduced to it at an early age. Thus, mastering time management is no different.
Repetition and reinforcement assist kids in fully grasping new concepts, and a young age provides an open mind, allowing for additional repetition.
#2 Divide the day into manageable bits of time:
Younger children, no matter how hard they try, can never understand the function of a clock. Sure, they can read the clock and tell you it’s 8:00 a.m., but comprehending why that’s an essential number, and how many other things need to be done in the next half hour or hour, etc., is the obstacle to overcome.
Thus, chunking up the day into physical activities may first make “telling time” throughout the day easier. This method is analogous to setting a routine and order of operations. It also serves to remind those who have chores of their responsibilities.
For example:
- Wake up and get out of bed
- Feed the dog
- Have breakfast
- Study
- Eat a snack
- Enjoy screen time
- Study
- Have dinner
- Enjoy free time
- Go to bed
It is helpful to develop a checklist that is posted and visible for these events, and then you can make it fun when your child completes a task. Make them put a sticker on the dog’s collar to indicate that he’s been fed, or put a dime in the piggy bank (they’ll adore knowing that a full day of activities nets them $1.20!).
Is a child’s day now made up of more than ten activities? Of course, you are free to make your unique tweaks. The key is that you will want to set up markers or triggers that will feed one activity into the next.
#3 Consider daily tasks to be stepping stones to more involved activities:
“After you’ve completed your learning time.” That statement accurately encapsulates the purpose of this phase.
With a list like the one above, it’s simple to express and demonstrate that one activity should not take place until the previous one is completed. Kids should not be permitted to have free time until their learning time is completed, just as they should not have breakfast until they have fed the dog.
From a time management point of view, children should begin to grasp that if they want to go to TV time and have enough time to enjoy it before night, they must use learning time properly.
#4 Set time limits:
One of the main reasons kids don’t take to clocks and the concept of “time” right away – and hence fail when it comes to time management – is that they lack an anchor. Young children have no concept of how long 5 minutes in time-out should last, while older children can easily become engrossed in the notion that they are spending an hour watching TV.
As a result, adding time restrictions that are tracked by physical timers aids in instilling the idea.
Begin by verbalizing boundaries, such as “5 minutes until dinner,” and then physically set an audio timer that alerts you when time has passed. Do the same during their 30 minutes of leisure time or 10 minutes of room cleaning.
#5 Discuss time management with your children:
Some things are best off left “hidden” for the sake of prosperity. Underneath the cheese on your child’s pizza, are there vegetables? Let’s keep that a secret, shall we?
However, when it comes to time management or any other learning process- it’s usually a good idea to make the aim and procedure clear. Thus, talk to your children about the significance of time management, where they might need help, and how you plan to improve.
Then, when there are breakdowns or questions, framing the solution or answer becomes easier. It is also easier to reward good behavior when children have a goal to aim for.
Takeaway:
Children are restless and spend their days doing a variety of things such as playing, learning, watching movies, or being glued to their devices. As a result, it is critical to teach your children time management skills. Learning and practicing the skill can assist them in understanding the worth of time and establishing appropriate priorities. It also aids in any task completion on time and eliminates last-minute stress. To develop time management skills in your kids, you can opt for Montessori education. Not only time management but Montessori education also develop other essential skills in kids.
