My colleague has a fourth-grade son with excellent academic performance who often receives praise from his teachers. Rather than causing her anxiety, this has become the envy of other parents. Her secret, she reveals, lies in focusing on the “golden three hours” – the precious after-school time when parents engage, educate, and play with their children.
While some parents opt for extracurricular classes or downtime after work, my colleague chooses to temporarily forgo her hobbies to invest in her child’s education, fostering positive habits and motivation for the future. The way parents utilize this “golden time” can make a significant difference in their child’s development.
Make time for communication during family dinners
Family dinners are often the best opportunity for parents to connect with their children after a busy day. Some parents turn mealtimes into educational lectures, creating a stressful environment for their kids. A celebrity once described dinnertime as the scariest part of his day due to his father’s harsh “discipline” at the dinner table. Such negative emotions can associate with eating and have long-lasting effects on a child’s personality.
The story of a boy who ran away from home after being constantly compared to and scolded at the dinner table further highlights the adverse consequences of this approach. The dinner table should be a place for families to bond and share their feelings, not an interrogation room. Simple questions like, “Did anything fun happen at school today?” can make a child feel valued and create a harmonious atmosphere. When a child is reluctant to talk, parents can share stories about their day to encourage the child to open up. Communication should be gentle and emotional to build trust and strengthen the parent-child relationship.
The dinner table should be a place for family bonding
Study with your child
The sight of parents studying with their children can sometimes be tense, causing stress for the adults. To avoid this, it’s essential to establish good study habits in children from a young age. A suggested three-step process to help children study effectively includes creating a quiet study environment, organizing homework, and learning how to review. Providing a calm and tidy space helps children focus better. Sorting homework by difficulty teaches children how to plan and organize. Finally, teaching children review methods will foster independence and confidence in their learning, from checking each item to evaluating the overall format, logic, and ideas of the exam.
Teaching children how to review fosters their independence and confidence in learning.
Daily reading time
Sukhomlynsky emphasized the importance of reading in a child’s education. Children who love to read have more opportunities to expand their knowledge. Parents often struggle to encourage their children to read because they don’t understand their interests. To spark a passion for reading, parents should choose books based on their children’s interests and not limit themselves to specific genres.
It’s also essential for parents to lead by example by reading with their children and sharing their own reading experiences. This helps children absorb knowledge and develop a love for books. Reading together before bedtime is an excellent way to strengthen family bonds and encourage learning. The “golden three hours” after school is an ideal time for children to relax and learn, forming good habits and deepening family relationships.
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