How to Help Your Kids to Succeed with their Studies

Books, blogs and parenting websites are filled with tips on how to spend time with the kids to help with their studies. For most of us, we know this is easier said than done. With the busy lives we have, and the multiple functions we handle with respect to our different roles, it might be quite a difficult objective, trying to engage our kids in their studies.

However, the question is usually posed to motivate and inspire parents to take on this role:

 “If the kid were a future business, technology or political leader, how would we treat his (or her) education now?” “What would we do, in the present, to prepare him (or her) to effectively function in this role?”

The above question asks more of us as parents; and for those who might think this is unlikely, it really isn't.

Personalities and notable people like Celin Dion, Sara Blakely, Richard Branson, Mariah Carey, and Mark Zuckerberg acknowledge the connection between the role of their families, and the activities they were privileged to do.

So, with these in mind, let's excitedly draw up a plan to get our kids to be successful in their studies.

1. Having our kids curricula on our vision board
Research shows that what we put in front of us each day, are the things we tend to focus on, and complete. This is the reason for the prevalence in vision boards and goals boards.
To help us keep track of our goals, some of us do have vision boards. We have pictures of the homes, the cars, vacations, adventure, future savings etc., and other things that excite us and pique our interest.
Having a section for the kids learning activities should also assist to keeping us focused on creating and spending time, also, in this area.

2. Separate study time
It is not too early to start instilling habits. One habit we have as parents, to let the kids, when they are little, have the whole day to playing. And then, once they've gotten used to this 'habit', we start looking for means to get them to be serious about some other things.
Playing and expressing oneself using different methods sure are productive ways to fortify threads of creativity and imagination in kids. So, it is exciting to have them play.
But it would also be nice to create study time for them, so they get used to studying at these set times.

3. Actively monitoring and supporting kid's school work
Playing an active role in our kid's school activities, from classroom work to playground performance would not only create a stronger bond with the kid, but also establish the importance of education in the kid's mind.
Take part in school work brought home, even if the kid can do it himself. Ask questions about school, the teaching, fun activities, or about the new student in class. All these go on to bring about a more-rounded kid, and act as motivation for the kid to engage in active participation in school activities.

4. Inculcating the different study skills and habits
From research, to calculations, to logic, problem solving, persistence and patience, it's not too early to infuse good study skills and habits in the kids. For example, puzzle games are fun methods of teaching the kids needed patience to arrive at a goal.

5. Integrating studies into play
Studying does not have to be work, if we can be creative. There are lots of toys and learning tools that can be used to teach the kids, without learning have to seem like a chore! Counting, collaborative tools, exercise activities and puzzle games could be fun and exciting to the kids, while improving their knowledge.

6. The use of technology to enhance learning
Teaching the kids how to use technology at the earliest could quickly show the kid how easy and quickly things can be done using these tools. And this does not only have to be at study times.
An interesting example is Martha, a colleague, who recalled when she was preparing for her thesis, searched for a plagiarism checker uk. Brian, her kid, noticing this, quizzed her relentlessly, on what plagiarism was!

There are tools available, to ease the learning habits into kids, depending on what study lessons we are teaching them.

The fun thing about teaching our kids is that the kids are relatively 'open books', and would model whatever activity we want them to. So, with this in mind, it can be easy to share, direct and improve upon, whatever skills we know would be relevant to their studies.