Apply Yourself! How to Fill Out Forms

Author: Kate Smith
Categories: Middle School, Writing

Applications can look daunting to children. With all of those little boxes to write in, and some requiring information that your child may not know, this facet of the “adult” world is intimidating to kids. But filling out forms can be a great learning experience. Here’s how to give your child some formal training.

The next time there's an application to fill out for your child, instead of doing it yourself, sit down and do it with him. Have him read the instructions aloud, and discuss them with him to make sure he understands. Then tackle one box at a time. Have him first write everything in pencil, because he may either make a mistake or write too large for the boxes, and will need to erase and start over. He can copy everything over in blue or black pen once he’s finished. The information required on applications will vary, but there are a few things he should learn to do on all of them.

Name
Be sure he gets used to writing his full name on applications: Timothy, not Tim; Christopher, not Chris. Tell him that whenever he does anything official or professional — applications, business letters, standardized tests — he needs to use his full name. Many applications will ask for a middle initial as well.

Birthdate
This may sound silly, but do make sure he knows his birthdate. Also, help him determine what format the application asks for: it will often indicate something like “mmddyy” or “mmddyyyy.” Help him recognize that “mm” means a 2-digit month: 01 for January; 11 for November. By the same token, “dd” means a 2-digit day: 02, 09, 25. If it asks for “yyyy,” he should write his full year of birth: 1996. If it asks for “yy,” he should only write the last two digits of the year: 96.