At times, kids in as much as they are fun to be with, can be quite a handful. That is why as a parent, one needs to be intentional in the way one parents in order to be able to impart as many life skills as possible. This will go a long way in helping them navigate through life once they leave the coop. One of the life skills that one can teach their kids is time management which comes in handy in everyday life.
Here are some ways in which you can teach your kids time management skills.
1. Start Early
It’s never too early to teach your kids some essential life skills such as time management. Therefore, you should start before they hit their teens as it’s easy to nurture a habit at a younger age. Start them off by assigning timed tasks. If they’re too young to do timed tasks, you can simply give them easy chores like cleaning their room before their playtime. This helps them understand how to make good use of their time.
2. Make A Calendar
This ensures that your kids have something to do every day thus avoiding time wastage. Additionally, it teaches them to be more organized and understand the importance of time-management. Keep the calendar simple so it’s not overwhelming and easier to follow for the kids. However, the older the kid, the more the tasks for the day. Make sure you involve them as well so that they’re a part of selecting the activities.
3. Practice Patience
Patience is an art that most people learn at a later age. One of the best ways to teach your kids time management skills is to delay gratification. Pick activities that take a while to complete such as baking, gardening, and puzzles, but are highly rewarding. This can improve their concentration levels and develop better study habits. You can also build up excitement for an event such as a birthday by talking to them about it a week earlier.
4. Set Priorities
Part of good time management is learning how to set priorities. Knowing how to prioritize things that you have to do can help your kids get more things done in a day. As such, it’s important that they know what must be done first and prioritize them. You can guide them in making a list of their priorities and group them according to their priority level. For school-going kids, schoolwork takes priority then followed by extra-curriculum activities.
5. Have A Study Zone
There are many distractions in the home from the TV to other people, that can hinder your child from focusing on their tasks. It can be even harder to practice good time management when you don’t have a work station. Whether your child is home schooled or attends regular school, you should have a designated study zone at home where they can work without distractions. This area will not only help them sharpen their time management skills but also help them be responsible for their space.
6. Stay On The Task
Don’t let your kids abandon a task because it’s taking too much time. This is counteractive and may make them develop a habit of procrastinating. Additionally, avoid prolonging activities that they enjoy such as playtime. Sticking to the schedule helps them understand time management better thus making them able to transition from task to task on their own.
7. Free Time
Avoid over-scheduling your kids’ calendar and include some free time for them to do as they please. Additionally, your kids need time to rest. Go easy on the schedules so that it doesn’t become a stressful experience. If they feel overwhelmed, they may not be able to grasp the importance of time management and might simply be doing things so as to get them out of the way. You can use this to monitor how they manage their time without any guidance.