Time management is something anyone can struggle to maintain, whether they are a child or an adult. It is important to start instilling some lessons on time management as early as you can so your child can learn to adapt and use their time wisely.
Prioritizing
The main take-away in time management is the prioritization of tasks. This may be hard to teach to a young child, but any little progress you can make will help. You can always wait until they are in middle school to really begin teaching time management. You can start small, such as helping them figure out when they need to get up in the mornings to get ready for school. Help them figure out what they need to do (such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing their teeth), and help them figure out how long they think they need in order to get ready. If they end up needing less (but probably more) time, be sure to help them get the time just right. This can also help them learn the art of prioritizing, especially if they are trying to sneak things into their morning routine which do not need to happen (such as playing video games or even hitting the snooze button one more time!).
Staying Organized
Sometimes the easiest way to stay on task is through staying organized with your time. For most children, organization is not a strong suit. But as your child grows and enters high school, chances are they will need to stay more organized in order to keep up with all the extra curricular activities, sports, work, and of course hanging out with their friends. If simply prioritizing tasks is not enough, help them make a list of the important things they need to do that week, or even that day. Keeping a list or adding tasks to their phone’s calendar can help them to stay more organized and keep their day running smoothly.
Lead By Example
Are you feeling a little more frazzled these days too in accomplishing everything you need to do? Help your child see time management by trying to incorporate these skills into your own daily life. Whether you are running late to appointments because they are not in your calendar or having a To-Do List that is ten miles long, it is always a good idea to help prioritize your own life as well!
Katie Kyzivat