Pre-school teachers will let us know that precisely what they teach their little charges is how to complete tasks within given time frames. Arguably it is never too early to start teaching children how to manage their time. Naturally, one is not going to be using complicated terminology for little people but certainly by the time children are of school going age they can be taught tips and techniques which can assist them to manage their homework, play and fun time, age appropriately.
Most schools bring this into the curriculum by default but there are always children who don’t seem to pick up on the skills and techniques and they are usually the ones who need to master them the most. Some of us, even as adults, can ‘fly by the seat of our pants’ as it were and somehow manage to get things done without too much planning or diarising. Others of us need to have a ‘tool’ of some sort to assist us. In the same way, this is applicable to children and teenagers as well.
The nature of schooling these days is such that our children are juggling multiple academic deadlines with numerous sporting and cultural activities – the result – children who feel overwhelmed and anxious. In certain instances a few key techniques can set them on the road to feeling in control of the situation as opposed to feeling overwhelmed.
Written by Lee Davidson
15 June 2015