In today’s information-rich age, parents can be inundated with all sorts of advice regarding the proper way to raise their children. Some go into great depth to ensure a child’s future success; others tend to adopt a more laissez-faire approach. But wherever your parenting preferences may life on that spectrum, these methods will let you influence a few key factors to improve your child’s long-term learning.
Create a great study environment
A child’s first learning experiences begin at home, most often within an informal setting. Being able to read children’s books at leisure and practice developing skills such as handwriting or drawing in a stress-free situation makes early learning fun. But as children progress in their formal education and take more advanced lessons, the need for focus and a dedicated learning space in the home will increase. Studying in a room where distractions such as the TV, computer, gadgets, or other people’s activity are present can cause children to struggle. Proper posture is also crucial to improved concentration. Create a distraction-free environment in the home where your child can study while seated comfortably at a table with the necessary school supplies at hand. Retailers offer a wide range of textbooks online so that you can integrate this study space into your child’s study routine before classes even start.
Ensure proper nutrition
Parents are well-aware of the need for good nutrition across the years of a child’s development. Kids who eat healthy meals will not only tend to have better long-term health, but also enjoy short-term benefits with respect to daily performance, boosting their physical energy levels, mental acuity and learning. Natural, unprocessed foods pack more nutrition and are better able to sustain consistent levels of activity and focus throughout the day. Unfortunately, while you can control what your child eats at home, school-bought meals and snacks may not be so healthy. Thus, in addition to preparing nutritious home meals, it’s vital to ensure consistent and proper nutrition by teaching children the right things about food. This way, kids will know to steer clear of sugary snacks and other artificial, processed foods they may encounter at school – and thus avoid the post-intake ‘crash’ which causes a dip in energy and concentration.
Develop key habits
As adults, it can be easy for us to sometimes overlook the challenges of learning that school can pose to any child. Kids who excel in certain subjects – perhaps as a result of advanced studies – may nonetheless struggle in others where they haven’t been similarly prepared. All-around advanced learners have to avoid boredom and complacency, while those who lag behind the learning curve for their age might have to overcome negativity along with their studies. While every individual child needs a unique approach, a consistent factor in improving learning is the development of key habits. Self-organization through a journal or planner lets children stay on top of their schedule, assignments, projects and deadlines; a regular sleep routine will ensure they are well-rested, curtailing the late-night influence of entertainment and other diversions such as video games. Seeking out practice and additional challenge will help any child to embrace a growth mindset and carry the right attitude for continued learning in any situation throughout their lives.
Children can be remarkably resilient and overcome countless difficulties early in life to succeed, but why leave things to chance? These simple steps let you improve factors under your control to help your child become an excellent learner.
