How to Help Your Child Form Good Study Habits

Good study habits are a foundation for your child’s education and future achievement. Study skills include the means of learning skills such as listening carefully to what the teacher has said, interpreting it accurately, taking good notes, reading effectively and managing time properly.

Set up a study area with your child’s help. It can be in your child’s room or a designated place in another room. It should be a quiet place, comfortable, and well-lit. It should be free of distractions, i.e. away from a window, television, toys, and music. Provide a small table or desk and chair. Avoid having your child study on the bed because that encourages sleeping.

In the study area, provide materials that your child may need for homework such as paper, pencils, markers, ruler, crayons, etc. These may be gathered in a plastic bin or box for easy accessibility. A dictionary is almost a necessity to have at home. Other reference books such as a world atlas and encyclopedias are helpful aids, but your child will have access to these at school if you don’t have them.

Set a specific time each day for your child to study and let him/her know that studying is a top priority. There may be times that you will need to be flexible with the study time. If your child has an extracurricular activity, such as a soccer practice or a music lesson, then reschedule the studying time with your child.

Homework is given for the child’s benefit. Don’t do it for him/her. Answer your child’s questions, but try not to directly give your child the answer. Consult, don’t teach. Instead ask him/her questions that will provoke her thinking toward the answer.

If your child is a procrastinator, set a time limit for completing a task. A very young child needs a break about every 10 to 15 minutes. An older elementary-aged child can work up to 30 minutes before breaking. A reward system can be helpful for the procrastinating child.