Help Your Kids Turn Resolutions into Realities

At the beginning of this month, in the spirit of New Year,  we gave you and your children 5 New Year's resolutions that if implemented can help improve your child’s math abilities. And last week, we discussed how your student could build better study habits in 2021. This week we are going to showcase how you, as a parent, can assist your child in turning these resolutions into realities. Because as we all know, making resolutions is easy, actually following through is where it can get hard. 

Here are 6 ways you can help create a productive environment that will allow your child to easily fulfill their resolutions: 

1. Give them a choice. Do your kids need a half hour after school just to relax, refresh, change clothes, or play outside? Maybe they’d like to enjoy a healthy snack right after school? While others may like to get it out of the way when they get home and dive right into homework when they get home from school. Try letting your child have a say in what works best for them and ask for their input in the routine. They’ll be more likely to stick with the routine this way. 
2. Set up incentives. This is a practice that we even implement ourselves. Think of rewards and incentives that work specifically for your child. Does your student like to spend time outside or maybe playing a game on a tablet? These can be great incentives for completing homework and learning new concepts. Some children may be less motivated than others to finish homework if they’ve already had an hour of TV time, and then they have to stop watching to get their homework done. 
3. Create a homework station. The quiet desk in the corner, the den, the kitchen table, your at-home office - wherever you decide, make a designated space for homework, and make sure that that space isn’t their bed. Here are some ideas for creating the perfect study space​​
4. Remove distractions. As we’ve learned, every child learns differently and may require different kinds of environments to promote concentration. Just like adults, some children prefer having quiet music playing in the background, while others prefer complete silence. In all cases, remove everything that could be potentially distracting to your child (i.e., phones, TV, tablets, pets, etc.).
5. Use a checklist. Teaching your kids to use a checklist is a great habit that can last a lifetime. A simple checklist can help your children not only remember their tasks but learn how to prioritize them as well. They can keep your kids from forgetting steps and getting distracted and when they finally check off that very last item - sweet, sweet reward! 
6. Be Prepared. Avoid Cramming. As we could’ve guessed, studies show that students perform worse when they stay up late and cram for a big exam. So, plan ahead. Ask your student questions about tests and assignments that are coming up. Then, help them develop a study plan. 

Keeping to your routine, enforcing discipline, and encouraging your children in good study habits is an ongoing journey. It’s not always easy, but if you do your best and put in hard work, you will help your children reap the rewards many times over.