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Parenting Tips, Guides, & Ideas

Keep Your Child On Track

Keep Your Child On Track

It’s summer time! It’s the perfect time to have fun under the sun and get a well-deserved break from all school work.

But summer break doesn’t necessarily mean a break from learning. According to studies from the Journal of Educational Research published in Straightalk, a publication for Kumon parents in North America, “Without any academic stimulation over long breaks, children can lose approximately 2.6 months of knowledge. This loss can have a negative effect when they return to the classroom.”

Thus, daily Kumon study especially during the break keeps your mind engaged, resulting to as stronger brain and an easier time once school starts. In Kumon, we want learning to be continuous and consistent.

How, then, can we motivate students to continue their Kumon study despite all the temptations to just have fun this summer. Here are some relevant tips to make sure that they are still on track:

Be a Facilitator

Keep Your Child On Track

If greatly needed, take the lead! As a facilitator of your child’s study at home, identify a place at your home that is comfortable, well-lit, quiet, and non-distracting as a place for study. Ensure that your child has everything he needs to study, from pens and paper to books and dictionary, to avoid the excuse “I don’t have what I need.” Instead, he will start with the homework that needs to be accomplished. Being a facilitator also means encouraging your child to keep you informed about his progress and interesting things that he encounters along the way. Being interested in what your child is doing will also allow you to provide the support that he needs whenever necessary.

Strike a Balance

Keep Your Child On Track

Strike the balance between kindness and strictness. There will be times when your child will push you to your limits in bargaining not to do Kumon or not to finish their homework, especially if your family is on vacation. Maybe you’ll hear him say with an award-winning performance, “Mom, it’s really very difficult and I can’t do it” or “I am really tired and I don’t have the energy to finish it.” During these times, it is very important for you to remember to be kind but strict. Too much kindness may cause him to be selfish. If you are too strict, he is bound to rebel. So first, identify the reason why he doesn’t want to do Kumon or his homework before taking action. If he doesn’t want to study just because he is lazy, be firm and insist that he should do it. Make him realize that doing Kumon is for his sake and not only because you want him to. Once he has done his homework, acknowledge his effort. Let him know that you are proud of him for trying hard and succeeding.

Set a Good Example

Keep Your Child On Track

He may be too involved in his computer games and savvy gadgets, and you might think that your child neglects your presence. He may not show it, but he looks up to you. You are his role model.Thus, it is important that you set a good example. If you tell him, “No TV or computer games during Kumon time,” then, so be it. He shouldn’t see you watching your favorite show on TV while he is concentrating with Algebra. According to studies, a child is more likely to study and develop the love for learning if he knows and sees you doing things that require thinking process and effort on your part. Let him know that you are also a learner by sharing to him the nature of your work or as simply as involving him in doing the grocery list. Also, encourage activities that support learning, such as educational games, library visit, and chores that teach sense of responsibility and require thought processing.

For most parents, summer time may also mean break time from nagging your children to study. But just like learning, parenting also knows no season. Your children need your guidance even when school is out.

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Twenteen Mom

Dhadha Garcia is a lifestyle and mommy blogger from Bacolod, PH. She is a mompreneur, a full-time blogger and a content creator. She started blogging in 2007 and became one of the pioneers of the Negrense Blogging Society, Inc. (NBSI) in 2009, where she has received several awards and nominations for her blogs. She also writes at www.theblueink.com and www.classysweets.com.

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