It is often difficult to get kids to sit down and study, especially smaller children, and then there is the distraction of social media for the older ones.

The trick is to make studying a daily habit that children look forward to, instead of a chore that they have to get done. But how do you achieve this impossible task? Here’s how…

Prepare a study space for them

It is important to create a dedicated study space for your children and it would be best if they have this place set up from an early age. This focused space for studying is where they can have a distraction-free environment to concentrate on their work.

Make sure the place is well-lit and quiet, then let them take charge of this space, from keeping it organised to cleaning it.

Have fixed study time every day

Fixing a certain amount of time every day for studying would not only help instil discipline in your children but would also help in forming a habit. Like they say, “catch them young”; start them on this habit early on, preferably from pre-school.

To ensure they accept it well, you can use positive reinforcement such as if they study for an hour every day, they will be rewarded with a visit to the zoo over the weekend.

In this way, studying every day will slowly become a routine, and a habit that will come in handy for the rest of their lives as it will also teach them time management.

The importance of taking notes effectively

Taking notes while studying is an effective way to remember things. Taking notes does not just mean memorising and writing everything down because this method is ineffective.

Taking notes mean jotting down concepts, questions and their own theories of a lesson. This includes drawing too. Recent studies by The University of Waterloo show that drawing is, in fact, more effective in remembering concepts than writing.

Hence make them understand the importance of taking notes in different ways and forms, and encourage them to use these when studying.

Try to avoid distraction

Although the internet is a great source of information, it is a greater source of distraction. If even adults cannot escape its addiction, just imagine how difficult it can be for children.

So how do you get your kids to turn off the internet and turn on their study time?

What you can do is get them to switch off their mobiles and computers about half an hour before study time and do something else, maybe read a book or have some outdoor playtime.

In this way, they can calm their minds down and it will also take their minds off the internet.

If they must use the computer for research, get parental control apps that will block social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram during their study hours. Or if you can, have a dedicated device for their schoolwork, which will not have any such apps at all.

Improve their studying habits

Help your children create a weekly routine for themselves. For instance, if three hours is dedicated each day for studying, they can set aside one hour for homework/assignments and the remaining two hours for studying other subjects.

Because each child is different, some children may prefer studying one subject for the entire two hours. Some might break it up with two or three subjects.

Creating a weekly routine will not only save their time in deciding every day what they need to do but they will have a clear goal.

It is also essential to make time for a five- to 10-minute break once in a while since it can work wonders in keeping them focused and prevent fatigue.

Be involved in their process of studying

With the present world changing rapidly, the days of just memorising concepts and passing exams are over. Encourage your children to delve deep into a subject and really understand the concepts and theories.

If this takes a long time and they need help, encourage them to take that time and ask for help. Discuss what they are studying and find out if they understand the subject matter by asking them to explain it to you.

This will help them understand it well and it will also show them how involved you are in their education. You too will be able to gauge your child’s growth and be able to provide the help that they require.

The process of learning should be something your children look forward to. Leaving that responsibility only on schools is not enough.

After all, educating a child takes three people – the school, the parents and the child. Schools will impart education; you must ensure your child accumulates knowledge and the child has to be open to receiving it.

School Advisor provides information on private and international schools, extra-curricular activities as well as other education-related topics in Malaysia.