Time Managment Skills for Children

Time management is an organisational concept traditionally associated with adults and the workplace. The experts tell us that more efficient use of time means greater productivity. So organisations encourage individuals to prioritise, plan ahead and make the most of the time that they have at work.

It is important that working parents are good managers of time so they can meet the demands of children and partners, keep a boss happy or a business afloat while maintaining some personal time. Sound planning helps us to lead a balanced life because it increases the use of discretionary time at our disposal.

Time management is not just for adults. Kids also benefit by putting some basic management techniques into practice.

In the early years of school you can help kids to become organised by displaying in a simple chart which outlines special activities for each day. Encourage children to refer to the chart each morning and plan ahead. For instance, if Tuesday is library day they can pack their borrowing bag and any books to be returned.

As children learn basic time concepts such as weeks and months give them a calendar to place on their bedroom wall. They can cross off the days or countdown until special events such as birthdays or the end of term. They can also use a calendar to plan each day including their after school activities.

As children progress to the upper end of primary school more complex management and planning skills are needed, particularly to deal with homework. In fact, many Year Six teachers include some time management in their programs as they know that children with good organisational skills are more likely to cope with secondary school where they have multiple teachers who all set homework.

Parents can help upper primary and secondary students better manage their time in the following ways:

* Provide your child with a student diary. You may convert an old exercise book into a diary or buy one designed for young students. Encourage children to place important events such as after school activities and daily homework in their diaries. My eleven year old son sits with my wife and I each Sunday night as we compare our diaries for the coming week.

* Teach your child to break complex homework tasks such as projects into smaller jobs and then plan out the work. If a project is due in two weeks, work out what needs to be done and work backwards from the due date.

* Encourage children to measure the time they spend on homework and encourage them to work efficiently and quickly. It is a common for students to think they have spent hours doing homework when really they have frittered much of their time away sharpening pencils, arranging books or playing games on the computer. Sometimes establishing a set time such as thirty minutes is an effective way of encouraging kids to work quickly.

* Help children to prioritise their work if they are busy. When teaching Year Six I used to encourage children to categorise their homework as either Important, Urgent or Both. Important meant that the task needed considerable attention to detail or research before it could be completed, while Urgent meant that it was due soon, usually the next day. If a student gave work a category B for both then it was panic stations as they had a great deal of work to do in a short time. The point of this exercise was to help students get on top of their work rather than leave it until the last possible moment.

A valuable time management technique for adults and children is to establish a work routine that suits individual physical requirements as well as schedules. My son is a night owl who can work really productively after dark whereas I have a daughter who tends to crash when the sun goes down. Both children have different homework routines that reflect their physiological differences.

Time management for children is primarily about self management. I am not suggesting that children abandon their wonderful sense of spontaneity and slavishly regulate their days, however some basic planning strategies can help them deal with their load.

Michael Grose is The Parent Coach. For seventeen years he has been helping parents deal with the rigours of raising kids and survive!! For information about Michael's Parent Coaching programs or just some fine advice and ideas to help you raise confident kids and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au

high-end home cleaning Des Plaines ..
In The News:

X Square Robot unveils Wall-OSS open-source AI model that helps robots adapt to unpredictable real-world tasks beyond narrow scenarios.
Airport workers report surge in fake lost luggage claims as scammers retrieve discarded baggage tags containing passenger names and travel information.
Unlike robotaxi competitors, Tensor focuses on consumer-owned self-driving cars that adapt to highways and urban roads with full redundancy systems for safety.
Medicare scams cost $54 billion in 2024 as fraudsters target beneficiaries with fake calls demanding payments and personal information to steal benefits.
Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.
The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.
Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.
New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.
The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.
TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.
Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.
San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.
Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.
A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.
Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.
Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.
Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.
Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.
Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.
A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.
Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.
Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.
OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

Top Seven Tips for Back-to-School Success

Parents play a critical role in their child's success. These... Read More

Games Of The Past Meet The Present

Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More

Top 20 Items To Pack In A Diaper Bag

1. Diapers (5 -7 is a fairly safe supply)2. Wipes3.... Read More

Thriving As A Family When You Live In The Fast lane

It is extraordinary times that we find ourselves in. Change... Read More

A Night Out For Mom & Dad

Is your babysitter watching the kids and your k9 family... Read More

Awesome Dads Top Ten Communication Intentions

An Awesome Dad in by no means perfect. But that... Read More

Invented Spelling --- Another Alice-in-Wonderland Public-School Theory

As part of the whole-language (or "balanced") reading-instruction philosophy, many... Read More

The Worlds Greatest Dad

You are in the final round of your favorite game... Read More

Avoid Weight Problems In Children

Although, not a well publicized statistic, childhood obesity has more... Read More

Build Character with this Delicious Triple A Recipe!

Vinegar or honey, what do kids really want? "Toys, candy,... Read More

I WONT DO IT! Tips for Working with the Oppositional Child

"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More

Helping Your Child Make and Keep Friends

What Children Look for in a Friend?Is this child fun... Read More

The Legend and Charm of The Tooth Fairy

The legend and myth of the Tooth Fairy is a... Read More

Life Stuck In Fast Forward

the woes of being a parent of an ADHD child.....Like... Read More

A Call For Fathers

Dads, please let me encourage you to change some things... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: What to Do When Your Teen Feels Left Out

On a recent Saturday evening, I noticed a young teen-age... Read More

What is Child Sexual Abuse?

What is child sexual abuse? Any sexual activity that is... Read More

Twins - Double The Trouble Or Double The Pleasure? Both!

If You're Having Twins..is it double the headache, or double... Read More

Empty Nest Syndrome

Paula's last child had just gone off to college and... Read More

Single Parenting: How The Challenge Of Single Parenting Affects Your Decision To Divorce

Single parenting has seemingly become an acceptable norm which is... Read More

Americas Public schools --- Deteriorating Like They Did In Ancient Rome

The citizens of the early Roman Republic enjoyed an education... Read More

A Minute Can Turn into Hours for the Child of a Work-at-Home Mom

In theory, working at home is an ideal situation. But... Read More

You Make Me Sick And Other Things Parents Say in Anger

Maryann is so focused she's blind. She's slipped over the... Read More

Helping Your Kid?s Grow a Garden

Start some gardening traditions with your kids. Give them their... Read More

Considering Daycare? Consider the Pros and Cons

When you're a parent it's a difficult decision to know... Read More

house refresh service Glencoe ..