Many students would agree that studying can be tedious and arduous. It involves many years in school, not to mention the examination seasons. But this doesn’t mean children don’t like school or learning at all; what they don’t like are the things often connected to them.
These include repetitive and constant memorization of previous lessons, not having enough time to prepare for exams and projects, and being swamped with too much homework that they fail to do even one. Parents dislike seeing their children fail in class, but the students themselves dread failing in class. This doesn’t always have to be the situation. Good study habits and an innate love for learning can develop at home.
Below are some tips to impart a love for learning to your kids.
Make Reading Enjoyable
Children are quicker to develop habits, and they pick up from their role models just as fast. We are now in a world where technology seemingly cuts the attention span of kids way shorter than ever. But despite this, as parents, we should be able to foster good reading habits at home. Whether through e-books or with traditional, printed books, growing up in an environment where reading materials are always accessible is going to help kids develop a liking to reading. It also goes hand in hand with your kids seeing you enjoy the habit of picking up a book while also appreciating quiet companionship.
If not for good study habits, reading can also pave the way for your kids to improve their vocabulary, critical thinking, and imagination. As early as their toddler years, storytelling and picture books can make them eager to read books as they grow up. And if your young ones have gadgets, instead of saturating them with e-learning videos alone, you can slowly introduce e-books to them as well.
Provide them a Study Room
Athletes get to train in specialized training facilities to bring out their best performance. In the same vein, giving your child a room where they can study and concentrate on learning is a major benefit. It allows them to focus and concentrate on their studies, away from the distractions of the rest of your house.
You don’t have to provide your kids with a big room to study in. A smaller room, like converting a walk-in closet into a study corner, can already do wonders. What’s important is that it’s comfortable enough to be in, and it’s filled with materials that encourage them to learn. Alternatively, you can also make this study room an art/ music/ creativity room if your child is artistically inclined.
Learn from Failures, not Punish Them
Many of us fear failure, and not just because of the personal disappointment that comes with it, but as kids, some people were also punished for their failure. Being punished because they failed to pass a test even if they worked hard for it is a story that’s commonly told. This leads to an all too common problem: not learning from failure because we expect punishment instead.
Don rsquo;t let your children fear failure. Allow them to be sad about it, but also teach them to pick themselves back up and learn from their mistakes. And this applies to a wider scope of things, not just sports or test results. If they’re looking to attend a good college, don’t pressure them to get in on their first try- they’ll accomplish it in the right environment. And an environment that doesn’t allow failure and instead punishes it is definitely not the right one.
Don’t Take Away their Fun
As parents, we want to make sure that the kids are at the top of their game and we have the best intentions of preparing them for a bright future. But stifling children and hindering them from having fun might be detrimental to their holistic growth. Children need to be able to express all kinds of emotions, and they need to be able to enjoy their life as they develop different skills.
More than enforcing a strict or stiff style of parenting, it’s important to instill agency, accountability, responsibility, and discipline. A well-planned daily and weekly routine can help establish good habits for your children, and that includes study and playtime. A good goal is to be able to accomplish all schoolwork before being able to play. You can also try a more loose approach, where they will be able to play as much as they want, as long as all their schoolwork can be accomplished on time.
Good study habits don’t always come naturally to many people. It’s something that can be taught, honed, and developed. It just needs to start from a place of positive encouragement.
