Kids Time Management Plan for Parents
Kids Time Management Plan
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Jun 30, 2023 Filed to: Screen Time Control Proven solutions
The Importance of Time Management
Knowing how to manage time is a crucial initial step, which later on defines you as an adult. The sooner you learn it, the better. Even though a lot of parents realize the importance of teaching this skill to their kids, they don't know where to start. Time management for kids can be a much more challenging task than you would like it to be. A child's schedule at times can be much more packed than an adult's. There's a lot they have to cover between completing homework, playing outside, sleeping, and eating at the designated time. However, before getting into the time management tips, it is crucial to understand why your child must learn time management skills.
See this article if you're still not clear with How Much Screen Time Should Teens Get.
1. It teaches your child self-discipline.
Many personal qualities cannot be instilled in a child once they grow up to become teens, and one of such qualities is self-discipline. You cannot force it down a child's throat. This is something they learn from a young age, and in order to do that, they must fully understand the importance of doing things at the given time. It teaches them not to procrastinate and achieve their little goals without wasting time. For example, a self-disciplined child will be dressed for school immediately after breakfast, without the constant need for reminders.
2. It instills decision-making in them.
By utilizing time well, children learn to make quicker and better decisions even as they grow up. For example, a child who can utilize time well to make decisions will not be overwhelmed with the snack choices he has at a supermarket. Instead, he will look for the 2-3 essential things he needs and come to you on time. He would understand that even though he has many choices, he must make the right decision on time so that you don't reach the billing queue late.
3. It reduces their stress.
Children can get overwhelmed when they have a lot to do. They must complete their homework and prepare for the test, but they also have extracurricular activities lined up in the evening. Among all this, they have to eat, sleep, and take a shower as well. Even though all of this is achievable if time is managed well between the tasks, it could lead to a lot of stress accompanied by fewer sleeping hours if it isn't managed well.
4. It improves their focus.
Many time management tips state how adults can improve their focus if they learn to manage their time well. However, there is very little online to tell you why a child also needs it as much as an adult does. It is much easier for children to get distracted as compared to adults, and they tend to lose their focus quickly. Imagine this. Your child is completing his homework, and his friend calls him outside to play. If your child is not easily distracted, they will make sure to complete their homework before going out to play.
5. It allows them to enjoy their free time.
Your child also needs time to relax and unwind from his usual hectic routine. Between his tests, tuitions, and friends, he hardly gets enough time to do anything. While productivity is a great thing, children can also get burned out from doing too much. Having no time for themselves can also affect their sleep schedule.
How Can Parents Help Their Kids to Manage Time?
If you're a parent looking for ideas on time management for kids, below are a few easy-to-pull-off techniques to help your child be responsible.
1. Teach them how to manage time practically:
There is a good difference between knowing how to tell time and how to measure time. The latter is not necessarily linked with the former. Children who can tell time cannot necessarily measure it too. Therefore, whenever they are up to a task, set a timer for its completion. As the time to end that task approaches, do a verbal countdown so that they know you are attentive. It teaches them the value of a minute, an hour, fifteen minutes, five minutes, etc. So the next time you ask them to be ready in 10 minutes, they would know not to do anything else but get dressed only.
2. Give them rewards:
This is one of the best time management tips if used well. The principle can be applied to various situations in which you're trying to motivate the other person. By rewarding your child every time they manage their time well, you will be encouraging them to do it more often until it becomes a part of their personality. Rewards can either be daily, weekly or even monthly, depending on how you plan them as a family. However, make sure you plan your rewards carefully. You do not want to instill one good habit at the cost of another. For example, rewarding your child with pizza every time they manage their time well is not exactly a good idea in the long term.
3. Create family calendars:
Family calendars are a great way of reminding you what is due on which day. Additionally, it is also a great way for your kids to keep track of what's coming next so that they can prepare themselves for it accordingly. One child might have basketball on Monday while the other might have scouts on Tuesday. This can also be taken a step ahead by letting your kids have their own personal calendar where they can mark different upcoming tasks and activities.
The Best Time Management Apps for Kids
With the dawn of technology, time management for kids has become much more comfortable. Along with the time management tips discussed earlier, you can also use these applications to help you achieve your goal.
1. Time Tree – Share and maintain a family calendar:
This application makes your family calendar digital. Instead of maintaining a massive calendar, you could simply use this application and update it with all the upcoming activities. You can also share it with the rest of the family.
2. Time Timer:
This is very similar to a stopwatch style timer that you can operate easily. You can set the desired time limit, give a name to the timer, and adjust the settings and mode. Settings relevant to the sound, color, and the number of plays can also be adjusted. Time Timer can especially be useful while your kid is studying. He or she can use to stay focused and take short breaks in between for ideal results.
3. Forest – Grow a forest to boost your focus:
This application makes time management for kids quite fun. In order to stay focused, they have to plant a tree virtually. If they lose focus, the tree will die, and if they maintain their focus, the tree will grow. This way, your child could create several trees to make an entire virtual forest while working on their focus at the same time.
4. Remember The Milk – Remind yourself and prioritize tasks:
At times, your child can have so much to do that it becomes hard to decide what to prioritize. This great tool, which is compatible with most devices and computers, will allow you to do just that. It will help you in managing your tasks by reminding you about them.
5. Focus Keeper – Boost Motivation to Complete Tasks:
This application is like an antidote for the procrastinators, the ones who become overwhelmed when they have a number of tasks to do in a limited amount of time. It can help your child by removing their anxiety related to time pressures, which will also prevent them from burnout.
By reading the tips mentioned above, you have already taken your first step as a parent to instill time management skills in your child. These little valuable actions from brushing their teeth before sleeping to completing their homework before bed are only going to become more significant with time and allow your child to apply them elsewhere.
Kids should learn the value of prioritizing their tasks from a very young age, as this is something that they can use throughout their lives. Additionally, it will also teach them the values of self-discipline, focus, taking responsibility, and achieving timely goals. These small steps will later be the reason behind their success and will make them the masters of time management as they take more giant steps in life.
Moreover, good time management skills enable your kid to achieve more in less time. It also gives them the opportunity of learning every step of the way. Every benefit of managing time well is linked with another aspect of their life that they are simultaneously improving.
Thomas Jones
chief Editor