Getting a child to study can be a very daunting task for a parent. I remember that during my childhood I was very naughty and I did not study at all. My parents were fed up with me. Now that I am a parent I get to know what my parents used to feel, and by God, it’s just maddening!
But as a parent, you are your child’s most important teacher and guide. It is by your guidance that your child will learn everything about life. He or she will look up to you not only as a parent but also as their mentor and role model.
All kids have their strong and weak points. While some are good at English, others are good at math. It is up to you to find out what are these points of interests of your child. Some kids may be more interested in reading and writing while others may be interested in drawing. But also you have to find their weaknesses and try to convert them to their strength. As a parent, you can do a lot to enhance your child’s learning skills.
Here are some of those tips:
- Use visual aids
- Visual aids are very important for a child as it helps in perceiving the material better. When teaching stimulates your child to visualize the topic, he or she is learning. For example, when teaching math problems like addition or subtraction, use candies and chocolates to boost their interest in the matter.
- In this modern age, new gadgets have come up in the form of virtual reality. Use such mediums to facilitate their visual schematics boosting their learning skills.
- My father used to take me out for walks in the park and teach me about many things in the outside world that no book can offer. This unique method can also be applied by you to motivate your child.
- Make fun quizzes and use other fun techniques
- Encourage your child to ask more questions no matter how silly it may sound. Answer their questions no matter how many times they ask you.
- Make fun quizzes to help them understand the topic better. Keep prizes for them at the end of the quiz. This helps them to try better and be interested even in a subject they are not quite good in.
- Tell your child to teach you. Play a game where you are the student and your child is the teacher and tell them to teach you the subject. This will induce your child to learn better and in a fun way.
- Read more about everything
Make reading an important habit for your child. Poor reading skills will affect a lot in their future activities. Newspapers, articles, storybooks are great sources for your child to read. When I was a child, I used to love reading Enid Blyton’s stories. Books are the key to a vast knowledge about different sources of life.
- Be patient
Rushing things will only make it worse for your child. Developing a calm attitude helps you and your child to focus on what you are doing. There are many teachers and parents who beat kids when they fail to understand something.
Recently there was news that showed how much a parent was beating their child just because the little kid failed to understand a problem of maths. This is just insensitive! If your child does not comprehend well, it might be the parent’s fault. Henceforth, being patient and calm is necessary to educate your child.
- Brain teasers and games
Play memory related games with your child to improve their learning skills. Games like Atlas, The Memory Game, and The License Plate Game are very good examples that help in retention of various things in memory. Sounding unusual? Maybe a bit challenging at first but these games are helpful for your child.
Card games also are very helpful. Right now you might be thinking, what if my child becomes a gambler? Haha, fear not! Nothing of this sort will happen with the right guidance. These games only help in enhancing the learning skills and memory retention of your child.
- Complete homework on a daily basis.
Sit with your child every day to make sure they complete their homework regularly and on time. Leave no pending work for tomorrow. Urge them to complete it today before they can go out to play. Allocate specific times for homework, learning and other studies. Once completed let them play.
- Focus on his weakness.
Give equal importance to his strengths and weaknesses. Don’t let his weakness overwhelm your child into thinking they won’t be able to pursue the subject any longer. Focus on his weak points a bit more. If he finds a subject or topic intimidating find ways to make him more comfortable with it.
For example, if your child is afraid of math, make it a game. That is how I teach my daughter.
- Communication is the key.
Communication is a very important tool between your child and you. Don’t be afraid to use it and don’t let your child also be afraid of it.
A positive relation between you and your child is important towards building a strong and healthy relationship. Maintain a good vibe with the teachers from his/her’s school as well. You will get to know better what is going on, whether or not there is something troubling them or not.
Believe in your child. Everyone is not born intelligent. It’s in your hands to shape your children to prepare them for a better future. As a parent, all you can do is to prepare him, but ultimately it’s him who has to go and give the exam.
So don’t worry, stay calm and focused. If you face problems, consult experts and seek out their help. Do not worry as there are many ways of enhancing your child’s learning curve.
Memory boosting techniques help a child learn faster and in a much more relaxed and carefree manner. Make education interesting and fun for your kid so that he is more motivated to study and do well!
