“I’ll study later!” “Why study?” “Is life all about studies?” “It is boring to study!” “I forgot what I learned an hour back!”
Does your child speak in a similar vein about studies?
I will share with you here some suggestions which can make studying more interesting for your child. I will also let you know some of my personal experiences from childhood, and my experience tutoring my child up to class 7th and a few neighboring kids.
I made some mistakes in my childhood years of study which you can avoid. I, however, adopted some effective methods with my child to make studying a meaningful experience. I focused on learning and not merely preparing for an exam or competition.
Help your child to know the importance of learning.
Does your child understand the real purpose of schooling and studies and that it’s not just about passing exams? Talk to your child and listen to their heart. First, ask your child to know his intention for studying. Then help him reach the right intention through inspiring stories. Your child will never give up on learning if the original intention is strong enough.
Make sure your child is studying in an effective way
Peaceful environment
In the electronic era, I always need to figure out if I am talking to my family members or the pods stuffed in their ears. It is difficult for the students to learn amidst a plethora of gadgets used in a family. In schools, the students get some idea about the concepts, but it is at home where they need to understand and grasp the concepts. They, however, cannot focus appropriately at home due to a lack of a peaceful environment. Studying in a quiet place always facilitates better focus.
Effortless concentration happens on the subject we love
Do you know we can concentrate effortlessly on what we like? Otherwise, our studies are directed only to a smaller goal: ‘survival’. As parents, sit with your child to help them relate their difficult topics to the subjects they like. For instance, if they dislike History but are fond of Math, relate the historical stories in terms of numbers wherever possible, like years, the number of soldiers, or by how many years was Shivaji younger than Rana Pratap, etc.
I never liked the lengthy answers of History. The valor stories, strategies, and tactics of war heroes fascinated me. I learned the short answers and read through the lengthy ones for my board exams. I didn’t know the skill then. But for my son, I was introduced to Mind maps.
Mind maps
Mind maps help to organize information visually. For example, instead of repeatedly reading a few pages, you can capture everything in those pages in the form of a diagram on a single page. Since you have created it, it reflects your thinking processes. When you refer to it, you can recall things quickly. And, because making mind maps is a creative activity, it brings the much-needed fun element into your studies.
Help your children
The joint effort of parents and children is essential. There is so much to write in school and at home, every day. So, sometimes your child may feel tired of writing. Do some joint rotation for hands and neck with your child. You may ask your child to spell out (verbal or written) the difficult words of the answers instead of the complete answers. This way, it will not be burdensome. It worked great with my child. You can try too!
Write to learn
You will be surprised to know that the same child who used to shun writing while learning started to write and learn when he came to the higher classes. The three reasons he shared were monotony breaks, visualization happens when you write, and third is muscle memory. In typing, muscle memory has a significant role. Your fingers are trained to listen to your subconscious mind so that you type correctly without looking at the keys. Thus, writing to learn is a good habit that students should cultivate.
A bonus tip: Break the monotony
Have a refreshing munchy (Fennel or saunf, mouth freshener or mukhwas, roasted peanuts or singdana, roasted chana daal, etc). It helps break the monotony and keeps your mind alert.
Advise your child not to worry about results
The next level of concern is worry. Your child should only be concerned about results as much as the salt in food. There is a world beyond marks and grades. Appreciate that! When you appreciate your child for who he is, he will also feel good about himself. Then all the worries will fly away!
“There is a learning skill. It is all about what is and what is not. While science is knowing what is, Art is creating what is not.”
- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
The regular practice of yoga, pranayama and meditation profoundly affects children. Children and teens programs have shown tremendous results in destressing and overall well-being of children.
Yoga is Fun. Kids spend most of their time juggling homework and school-related extracurricular activities. Try and find some break for them and make them enjoy these new, healthy & fun activities! These sessions are brought to you from the Art of Living by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.
Participate in your child’s favorite play
Participate in the favorite play of your child. The child may love to play Minecraft, Osu, Apex legends, Uncharted valorant, or hide ‘n seek online. Organize to encourage your child to play the outdoor or board games with friends like Kancha, Nondi/Hopscotch, Gilli Danda/Lippa, Kabaddi, Satoliya/Pithoo/Lagori, Chain, Kho Kho, Hide and Seek/Chupan Chupai. You can try giving a twist to the traditional games for newness. Activities are done together to build a strong parent-child bond, which is useful when you sit with them for studies. They have openness with you and trust you and your techniques of learning.
“You have nothing to teach children, but rather learn from them.”
- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Wait! Don’t let your child jump to conclusions
I remember the words of my father when I had fared poorly in the pre-medical competitive exams. “World doesn’t end here! There are many more professions than the medical profession. Let us explore them together.” How you feel about your children has a lot of impact on your children’s minds, which affects their studies. So watch out for your words as you are grooming the next generation.
“The child-like innocence means making no judgment about oneself, not evaluating yourself.”
- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
May you and your children have a Happy Learning Time!
Recommended Reads:
The future of education by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. It is an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation between a group of educationists and teachers from India with Gurudev.
The blog Top 10 Go-to yoga poses for kids says that the kids who regularly practice yoga have stable mental health and better immunity. There are fun and easy yoga poses for kids.
Based on inputs from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Written by: Pratibha Sharma
We’d love to hear from you!
Write to us @artofliving about how the mind map and and other ways to make your kids study has helped you. Please feel free to add your unique ways with kids.
FAQs
First, accept the situation. Second, find out the things that interest your child. Share something interesting to your child relating to the subject. Do you need anyone to persuade you to watch your favorite web series like Brooklyn nine-nine or Young Sheldon? No, you watch it on your own with full attention.
Does your child understand the reason for schooling and studies? To find out, talk to the child and listen to their heart. Encourage your children to state their intention for studying. Help them reach the right intention through inspiring stories about learning. Your children will never give up on their studies if the original intention is strong enough.
When the intention of learning becomes clear to the child, laziness will not impediment their actions. Gurudev's story, ‘3 Secrets to getting rid of laziness’ is humorous yet establishes a profound takeaway.
