Does your middle-school grandchild always seem to be losing things? Does the child lose homework assignments quite regularly? Is your grandchild clueless as to what happens to his papers, his supplies, his cap and gloves?
Child development studies show that students in grades six through eight are changing physically, socially, emotinally and intellectually. They are experiencing uneven physical growth, have a short attention span, are sensitive to peer pressure and have a desire for
independence. Middle-school children are struggling to figure themselves out, questioning the role of adults and finding that their peers are more important to them then ever before. They tend to learn best by doing and experiencing.
Schools suggest that helping this child with organization skills is one key to some degree of success. Organization is quite difficult for some children and a parent or grandparent sometimes find it easier to do the organizing for them. Start with talking to the child about all the time spent in looking for lost items, the cramming late at night to re-do the assignment that was lost and the last minute panic to find things before the school bus comes.
Teach this child how to prioritize his assignments and to break the longer assignments into smaller, more manageable pieces. Prepare for the next day the night before...backpack, clothes, notes and permission slips that are due, etc. On the week-end, work with your child to teach him how to organize his room and other belongings. Middle-school children need to develop appropriate time management skills not only for school assignments but also for extracurricular and recreational activities.
Continually encourage this child and watch for signs of consistant improvement. Be empathetic when the child loses something valuable but be sure that he understands that he is responsible for replacing that valuable item. Ask the child's teachers for advice on this
problem and work with the teachers to motivate this middle-school child to do his best. As a parent or grandparent, spend uninterrupted quality time listening and talking to with this child about school, friends and things he is interested in.
Does your child respond to rewards for making improvements ? Make a list of rewards for accomplishing goals i.e. turning in assignments, keeping organized, completing more difficult projects on time, etc. Rewards could be extra television time, inviting a friend for a sleep over or to go skiing on the week-end.
Remember that changing habits may not happen immediately, but it can and will happen with practice, consistency and a positive atitude!
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