Help Your Child Study

As most parents know, studying is not easy, and many children find it hard to concentrate. "I cannot study during the day," is something you hear often. "I prefer to study at night." Come nightfall, and your child is nodding off or fighting sleep. Wouldnt it be easier if your child studied during the day instead of having to stay up cramming during the wee hours of the night? While some children do concentrate better at night, the brain tends to be more tired at this hour. If your child managed to muster up the same amount of concentration in the daytime as he does at night, it would make a big difference to his retention and to his results! Heres how you can help your child study with increased concentration: Keep some snacks in your childs room. Often children feel hungry and nip into the kitchen for something to eat. They wander around the kitchen for a few minutes and bring out something to nibble on. On the way back from the kitchen they run into someone watching television, and sit down to catch the end of the program. "Im taking a break," they tell you, although they know they have not studied enough to warrant a break. By the time they get back to their books, an hour has passed, and before long they feel the urge to munch again. If you keep snacks in your childs room, your child will not feel the need to get up and wander into the kitchen every now and then. Make sure he has a bottle of water as well. Provide your child with a clean desk in his room, on which he can study. A computer occupies 13-year-old Rohans desk, so he studies on the dining table or on the bed. This leads to poor quality of concentration. You must get your child a desk with ample space for him to keep his books, and study on. Make sure it is clean; a cluttered desk is indicative of a tense mind. Your child needs to be relaxed, only then will he be able to concentrate. If things around him are in disarray, your child will find it hard to concentrate. Certain children dont like sitting alone in a room to study. They would rather sit in the hall or in the family room, so they are with the rest of the family. If this is the case with your child, and if you see her constantly coming out with textbook in hand to sit with you, offer to sit in her room while she is studying. Lie down on her bed, read a book, go to sleep or do yoga. Your child will feel less isolated knowing that you are around. On the other hand, some children want to be left totally alone when studying, so respect their wishes. Phone calls can be very distracting. Take down messages and state that your child will call them back. You could say that your child is not at home, so friends dont request to speak "Just for a minute, aunty!" Give your child messages during study break - dont pop in with the message when your child is studying.

As most parents know, studying is not easy, and many children find it hard to concentrate. "I cannot study during the day," is something you hear often. "I prefer to study at night." Come nightfall, and your child is nodding off or fighting sleep. Wouldn't it be easier if your child studied during the day instead of having to stay up cramming during the wee hours of the night?

While some children do concentrate better at night, the brain tends to be more tired at this hour. If your child managed to muster up the same amount of concentration in the daytime as he does at night, it would make a big difference to his retention and to his results!

Here's how you can help your child study with increased concentration:

Keep some snacks in your child's room. Often children feel hungry and nip into the kitchen for something to eat. They wander around the kitchen for a few minutes and bring out something to nibble on. On the way back from the kitchen they run into someone watching television, and sit down to catch the end of the program. "I'm taking a break," they tell you, although they know they have not studied enough to warrant a break. By the time they get back to their books, an hour has passed, and before long they feel the urge to munch again.

If you keep snacks in your child's room, your child will not feel the need to get up and wander into the kitchen every now and then. Make sure he has a bottle of water as well.

Provide your child with a clean desk in his room, on which he can study. A computer occupies 13-year-old Rohan's desk, so he studies on the dining table or on the bed. This leads to poor quality of concentration. You must get your child a desk with ample space for him to keep his books, and study on. Make sure it is clean; a cluttered desk is indicative of a tense mind. Your child needs to be relaxed, only then will he be able to concentrate. If things around him are in disarray, your child will find it hard to concentrate.

Certain children don't like sitting alone in a room to study. They would rather sit in the hall or in the family room, so they are with the rest of the family. If this is the case with your child, and if you see her constantly coming out with textbook in hand to sit with you, offer to sit in her room while she is studying. Lie down on her bed, read a book, go to sleep or do yoga. Your child will feel less isolated knowing that you are around. On the other hand, some children want to be left totally alone when studying, so respect their wishes.

Phone calls can be very distracting. Take down messages and state that your child will call them back. You could say that your child is not at home, so friends don't request to speak "Just for a minute, aunty!" Give your child messages during study break - don't pop in with the message when your child is studying.