Empowering Youth: Help Your Child Learn Time Management

These days, everyone is busy. This is true even for kids. You complain about juggling work, household tasks, school activities and family time. You feel out of control with so much to do and too little time to get things done. You get frantic about picking the kids up on time, getting dinner on the table, caring for the screaming little one who demands a lot of attention, and even a simple bedtime routine turns chaotic. While it is true that time management for parents is a challenge, it also holds true that when you use good time management skills, you set a good example for your kids. Helping your children structure their day makes it easier for everyone to get things done. It also makes the time you spend with your children more enjoyable. The following little tips are tested as super helpful. rnHelp your child set goals. What do you want? Where are you going? The younger they are the more difficult they will find these questions. Your job as a parent is to help them gain a clear sense of what they want to accomplish; a goal that your child can visualize as worth achieving. Talk to them about what they want and help them focus on an outcome they like. Involve them in picturing that favorable outcome and setting their goals. Do not overburden them with all the things they SHOULD DO. Instead let them learn goal setting by reaching for something they really desire. Start when they are young and continuously widen the scope, and before you know it your child will have a pattern of setting and achieving his or her goals. Divide and Conquer. To manage big tasks, teach your kids to ‘divide and conquer’. Have them practice dividing task into manageable parts. Make sure they include the required time, resources and the steps needed to accomplish the task. You can guide them in scheduling the steps but let them create a schedule they can follow. Your child learning to organize themselves is significant. Praise them for their growth each time they make a reasonable decision. Example, “That makes good sense. Great job!”rnRoutine and Flexibility. Children know they have time set aside for the regular activities in their lives. They get up the same time each morning to go to school and go to bed at the same time each night. They have a daily time for play, doing school work and chores, and they begin to learn that a schedule helps them accomplish more. Your child will benefit from having a consistent routine but it is also important to teach them flexibility. You know, like when life happens! Brag time. Parents guide, encourage, listen and praise. When your children complete a task, allow them to reward themselves. Help them announce their accomplishments because it will affirm that they have done good work and will encourage them to continue. rnHere are some brag ideas your child can do: - Read samples to an appreciative listener. Grandparents are always good for listening. - Post finished works on a bulletin board or the refrigerator. To keep the space from getting cluttered, pick a designated spot for showcasing and remove an item when your child wants to display something new. - Check tasks off as they are achieved. Younger children will enjoy getting a smiley face sticker too. - Send samples via email to friends or relatives. This works great if you have a scanner at home. - Just brag about it: “I did it. I knew I could do it!”