That end of year crunch is upon us.
How will you help your kids? As summer approaches every year, students rush to finish all of their assignments before the final bell rings and summer is here.
The stress and workload is unbearable for kids, and more often than not incredibly stressful for parents, as well, as they try to help and encourage their children.
So how can you help your child without doing the work for him or her? Instead of (or in addition to) nagging, you can also do the following: Help your child make to do lists to organize their time.
To do lists don't have to be general ("Write Paper").
It is often more helpful to break lists down into attainable parts ("write thesis statement, write first paragraph, etc.
").
Being able to check multiple things off of a list makes children feel like they are accomplishing tasks and keeps them on track.
Be a sounding board.
Let your child work out complications, road blocks and questions by talking them out with you.
Determine, and stick to, bed times.
Though late nights up seem like the only way to complete work, children and adults alike perform better when well rested.
What would take 3 hours in the middle of the night could take only 1 when well rested the next morning.
Children need eight hours of sleep per night to keep focus the following day.
Encourage your child to begin study weeks in advance of the test.
Going over a chapter every few days is a much more realistic way of preparing than cramming for a whole year of information in two nights.
Don't forget breakfast!!!! A child needs carbohydrates and protein in the morning to be ready to learn whether or not he has exams.