At the study table

Education is a lifelong journey. There is no end to learning in a world that is constantly changing, and although technology has brought the world to our hands, the drawbacks of it mostly affect children. The competition faced by children of this generation is unavoidable, as the school curriculum is changing to match the pace of the world's education standard, and there is also the need for extracurricular activities as there is more to life than just studies. But after a long day how do you bring your children to the study table, given the growing number of distractions?

Fix the study time
A routine should be followed by both the child and the parents as to when the child should sit to study. Irregular times will lead to procrastination, and the child will not find the priority to focus. The study duration must precede proper resting time so that weariness does not hamper his attention towards his studies. Parents have to be strict about the study time. 

Proper learning environment
What any child needs most is the right environment where he can learn in peace. The child needs to sit without any distraction, away from the chaos of buzzing relatives, loud television noises or people talking on phone. Children are very curious, and so they tend to get distracted very easily, paying attention to every single intricate detail of the world. While it's important that their study area is somewhere they can feel comfortable, it shouldn't have too many decorations that will undoubtedly distract them when they need to focus.

Show interest for them to be interested
We all crave a little bit of attention, and especially in case of children, the need is endless. A child only feels further motivated if his parents take updates on his subjects, tests and homework. He will proudly show off his good grades and as children naturally yearn to make their parents feel proud of them. So to boost their attention span, give them attention, because they deserve it.

Learning is as fun as playtime
Children learn best when they enjoy what they are doing. By forcing them they only feel compelled to study but they don't learn much.  The motivation should come from within, with a little assistance which they will get if you help them get rid of the monotony. Memorising in different patterns can be done, and a rhythm can be used so that they can hold on to the memory of a fun learning experience. Creative thinking and vocabulary building can be done by playing with words making the exercise feel like a game and not a task. 

Followed by a treat
A token of appreciation is always a great way of motivation, and so a promise to give a piece of candy, a sticker, 30 minutes of television time or an ice-cream treat as incentives will make them look forward to studies.

By Sonya Soheli
Photo: Collected