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Early Study Habits

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Early Study Habits The quality of a child's future depends on the quality of care in the first five years. Early learning experiences that are safe, healthy, stimulating, and organized help children begin school ready to learn and succeed.

You can start your child off on the right track by:

  • Encouraging your child to develop good study habits from an early age.
    • Set time aside each day for reading and studying.
    • Make sure that they have a quiet place to study or sit and read.
  • Introduce "school-like" activities as early as 2 years old. It’s as easy as reading books, drawing or painting, learning simple math, engaging in basic grammar exercises, learning a language, picking up an instrument, and learning new words through pictures.
  • Make sure the activities are quality time you are spending with your children, so sit down with them and watch as they complete the activity. Don't hand them a book and walk away. Even if they are capable of reading on their own, it's more fun for them if they have your company, so let them read aloud to you. Children love spending time with and getting the attention of their parents/guardians. If you can let "academic time" be a regular and fun part of their routine, your children will associate learning and teaching others with satisfying feelings.
  • When your children have homework, instruct them to set aside time to complete their work either upon arriving home or later in the evening.
    • Schedule a routine "work period" for each day of the week.
    • On weekends, try to set aside an hour for your kids to complete homework assigned by the school or academic work you prepared.
  • When preparing academic activities for your children, change the subject matter every so often. For example, Mondays and Wednesdays can be math, Tuesdays and Thursdays can be reading, and Fridays can be art. That way, your children are less likely to get bored of these activities.
  • When your children begin developing independence, pull back a little from your involvement in work time.
  • Late elementary school or early middle school (5th-7th grade) is a good time to do this, depending on how quickly your children mature.
  • Start by reminding them to start their homework right after school, but don't micromanage the process of how they choose to complete it. You may still want to continue checking their assignments to ensure the work is being completed.

By showing your children that it is important to value education and work hard, you help them develop a life-long love of learning and put them on the right path for future career success and happiness.

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