Teaching Your Kids Time Management
April 21, 2024

Time management is essential for kids because it helps them achieve long-term goals. It is also vital for kids to learn to manage time before becoming old.

1. Make it Fun

Children derive satisfaction from fun—adults associate time management with business meetings, academics, and PTA meetings. There is so much stress. There should be a way to make it exciting for children, such as using crayons or stickers to mark calendars. There could be a gift if one person completes the task around the house. They will understand the importance of time if there is more fun.

2. Start Early

Teaching kids time management can be done before they are teenagers. They could be taught skills like waking up early, cleaning their toys, brushing their teeth, putting on their clothes, and other simple chores. They should be prepared to do their assignments on time and not wait until the next day. These simple tasks can help the child know the importance of time.

3. Teach Them How To Measure Time

Kids can be taught to finish up a task within a particular time. You can set up a timer while they do simple tasks. They will understand the difference between 1 hour and 5 minutes when you do this. So, when you say, “We are leaving in 3 minutes”, they will know there is no time to play. You can teach them how to read a clock. By doing this, they will become time conscious.

4. Create a Calendar

You can create a calendar for your kid. That means he can have his schedule for the week or the month. He can design it all with stickers or markers. Initially, you can help your kid plan his day or week, but you can also let him plan his day. It may include time for assignments, a soccer game, or time out with his friends.

5. Do Not Overschedule

Overscheduling is not the right way of teaching your kids time management. They may feel over-pressured when you are constantly on their necks to complete their tasks. They do not have to participate in every activity in school. They also need to have time to rest.

6. Include Free Time

Good time management will also include times of play. You can help your kids know that time management is not all about structured activities. You can consider rewards for accomplishing a given task. Rewards are motivators. A week of study schedule can be followed by fun at the park.

7. Stay on Task

You should ensure that your kids stick to the schedule. When the time is up, let them move on to the next task, even when they study. It would help if you stuck to the schedule even in the early learning times. It is a habit that they will build over time.

8. Use Management Tools

The management tools that you use should be kid-friendly. Apps are appealing, especially to kids that live with technology. With great visuals, your kids will only find time management interesting.

9. Establish Priorities

Based on their age, kids do not see big priorities. You are the one that can help them design this. Teach them the importance of studying hard at school, why they should brush before going to bed, why they need to do their homework, among others.