Time management is one of the most basic, but vital skills that all individuals should have. At an early age, parents must teach their child the value of time and how to use or manage them correctly. Time management paves way to success in a person’s financial, spiritual, mental and physical aspect of life.
Importance of Time Management
Time management helps people to decide which tasks to prioritize and which ones to finish last. It also helps individuals complete their duties in a timely fashion. It helps a person get an insight as to how much time it will take to complete a task and how to stick to a schedule.
Time management is a vital skill for children to succeed in school. It can help a child to follow step-by-step instructions and turn in or submit their homework on or before it’s due.
With good time management skills, a child can also make sure that his or her homework is not only finished on time, but also, have enough time for him or his parents to check his homework needs correction.
Thus, kids with better time management skills are less prone to stress. This is because they don’t have to stay up very late at night to complete their homework or rush through their assignments. They don’t spend too much time dawdling and are never late for school.
However, this skill can also have other benefits aside from getting his homework done on time. In his daily schedule, a child can also incorporate fun and playtime. Being able to finish his homework on time provides a child the opportunity to have plenty of time to play with other siblings or bond with parents.
When to Teach a Child Time Management
Time management is best taught at an early age. However, before you teach your child time management, it is best to teach him how to count, read numbers, tell time and read the clock. These skills are best taught at around 3 to 5 years old.
After your child is able to read and tell time, you can begin by slowly introducing time management. For example, keep reminding him of playtime, sleeping time, nap times, lunch, etc. You can also start incorporating chores into time management to give your child an insight into how much time is needed to finish chores.
Tips for Teaching a Child Time Management
One of the best ways to teach a child time management is by creating a daily and weekly routine. In this method, what you do is, you create a daily to-do list. List at least two priorities for the coming day. And, as your child gets better at following the daily routines, you can start increasing the numbers of priorities each day or week.
Many parents do not agree with reward system, because they believe that a child will be dependent or will think that there’s always a reward for doing something good. However, in life, that is a fact. You work hard and you get better rewards.
So give your child a reward for being able to stick to his daily routines. This doesn’t have to be monetary. When your child finishes his homework early, instead of sending him to bed immediately, you can say something like, “You did great. And since you finished your homework early, we still have plenty of time. How about we watch a movie before you go to bed?” Watching movie, going to a restaurant or having a simple playtime can be a great reward for your child.
Contrary to popular beliefs, video games are a great way to improve or develop a child’s time management skills. Well, actually, it depends on the kind of computer game your child is playing. There are many video games that will develop your child’s team management skills while he’s having fun.
You can find games that require a player to complete tasks and challenges within a certain time. This way, your child will learn to prioritize his action, maximize his progress and ensure success.
Another great way to improve your child’s time management skills is by creating a place that promotes focus. Make sure that there is a room in your house that is suitable for studying. Know if your child prefers a silent environment or one with music in the background. Also, see if your kids are able to work independently or if they are the kind of children who need reminders to go back and focus on their homework.
Develop your child’s self-discipline by allowing him to manage his assignments and chores. Explain to your child the benefits of focusing on their homework and chores, instead of allowing themselves to follow distractions. If they chose to follow distractions, allow them to experience the consequences of not managing their time properly. Also, make sure to set a good example to your child by managing your time perfectly as well.