Instilling Good Study Habits in Your Toddler

by Agnes Ycasiano, clinical psychologist and family counselor, Franklin Covey Organization Service Center for Leadership and Change, Inc

Ycasiano suggests sitting down with your child to ask him or him what works best for the study time.

Family study time also benefits children in many ways. First, if kids have a question regarding an assignment, they are more likely to ask for help. Second, they will be in an environment where everyone is modeling study skills.

Designate a special study space in your house.
This should be a quiet place with few or no distractions, with all the necessary materials. It should also be accessible for you to regularly monitor your child’s progress and give proper guidance when he needs it.

It should have touches of your child’s personality so that he can “own” his study place.

Set a goal with your child. Teaching goal setting skills to your children will help them become focused and more productive individuals. After each goal is reached, make sure you acknowledge or give praise when to make the child feel a sense of accomplishment.

Get organized. Help him get organized. Use checklists and calendars to post reminders for homework, household chores, extracurricular activities, etc. Keeping a small notebook of “lists” is also helpful. Teach your child to cross out completed items off the list to give him a sense of accomplishment.

Make it a habit to prepare for the next day before going to bed. 

Conduct a weekly cleanup of your child’s study space.

Determine your children’s learning styles.Parents need to discover or identify how their kids learn best.

Kinesthetic learners learn most effectively by participating in activities and performing skills like note taking. Auditory learners prefer listening to verbal instructions and processing the information by repeating it aloud. Visual learners learn best by developing mental images of what is being explained. Diagrams and photographs help them understand and process information more.

Teach your child relaxation and refocusing techniques. Encourage your child to refocus attention and relax whenever he feels overwhelmed, distracted, or tired. Ycasiano stresses, “Effective studying should be coupled with good living condition and habits.”

Study with your child periodically. Talk to your preschoolers about their schoolwork. Look at your children’s notebooks or workbooks and returned assignments, and read the teacher’s comments so you’ll know the areas that need improvement. 

Let him practice independence gradually by letting him do him own work. 

Provide suggestions on how best to arrive at an answer. Have him review the material, and then quiz him in a fun way.

Give encouragement and immediate feedback.Finally, encourage your child in every step he takes. The goal should be for the child to learn and love learning, not to garner medals or awards.