You track time or time tracks you – it depends how you utilise it! A day has the same 24 hours for all of us. However, the way we use it makes all the difference. Either you can get things done smoothly, or you find yourself rushing to keep pace. Save your sanity because the good news is that the skill of time management can be cultivated right from the kindergarten years.
Managing and tracking your time is an extremely vital life skill. The term ‘time management’ generates a vision of an MBA class or corporate workshop. But managing time is not an attribute that can only be imbibed in a seminar or classroom.
It is crucial that we teach our children to master this skill from childhood itself. We expect them to excel in academics and participate in all co-curricular activities, but we forget to show them how to juggle with such a hectic schedule. Remember the earlier you start, the better it is.
Make Time Management Fun
When it comes to kids, the fun factor has to be incorporated at every step. Use crayons to colour their calendars and mark special days with stickers. Structure games to make completing routine chores in time a fun activity. The higher the enjoyment quotient, the easier it will be for children to grasp the importance of time and the constantly ticking clock.
Stick to the Plan
If you have chalked a plan to manage time, then adhere to the schedule. Resist the temptation of extending the current task, no matter how much involvement the child shows in the activity at hand. If it’s bedtime at 8 pm, then you cannot ask them to study beyond that time. Similarly, no matter how well your little one is enjoying with her friends, once the playtime is over, she needs to move to the next activity planned for the day.
Straying away from the plan will spoil everything.
Help Them Prioritise
Understanding the concept of first, next, and last is not that easy. It can be rather complicated to establish priorities at a younger age. Help your child organise the day with the first, next, and last methodology. For instance, the first thing is to brush your teeth in the morning. Gradually, they move on to what comes next such as wearing their uniform, packing their school bags and so on. The day’s last activity can be changing their clothes and going to bed.
This is a strategy that can prove beneficial throughout their lives. By helping children gain clarity on the concept of prioritising, you are setting them up for lifetime success.
Allot Timelines to Chores
Make a daily calendar for your child allotting time duration to each chore or activity like 10 minutes to take a bath. Your child can refer to it on a daily basis. It will also help him avoid time wastage. You waste time and the time calendar will tell!
Gradually your little one will start respecting the timeline allocated to each activity and will soon stick to the plan. Try this one. It really works!
Use Rewards as Motivators
You can consider rewarding your child for good time management. Such perks act as excellent motivators. Rewards could be a family outing or allowing them to play a video game. Basically, anything that increases their desire to excel in the skill.
Final Word
Teaching children to respect time is paramount. By starting the learning process at a younger age, you help lay down the foundation of a structured life. It will pave the way for better health and higher grades at school.
Remember, time saved by these skills can be utilised productively to your child’s advantage and recreation. So go on and teach them to take charge of their time!
