6 Habits of Successful Kids
Hi there! Can you believe there are only a few months left until school ends? Where did the school year go? I have been hearing a lot from parents who are struggling with setting their kids up for success at home, especially because now there is so much down time spent at home with family. The days sort of melt together and the hours evaporate into thin air! Here are 6 habits of successful kids that I have learned from observing students in classrooms over the years. Let these be a strong start to good habits for 2021!
Time blocking: What activities is your child a part of on a daily basis? Check their schedule. Observe their activities. Are there countless hours spent on video games instead of academics or creative play? Schedule meetings and check-ins with your kids daily. Pick a time that works for both of you and discuss what’s on their plate and what needs to be addressed so there are no surprises. Successful kids block their time and know when to get serious about work and how much time they need to spend on each activity to achieve success.
Don’t quit: Successful kids have some serious grit. They do not quit even when they are frustrated. Instead, they ask for help – whether it be from their classmate, teacher, sibling or parents. I always had a rule in my classroom: “Ask 3 before me!” This “ask 3 before me” rule is great if you are also working 9-5 from home, or are in a meeting and can’t assist your child in the moment.
Assessing themselves: Successful kids take a look at what’s working and what’s not, and they know how to say so and when to pivot if necessary. There are two types of kids – those who slug through the motions just to keep parents and teachers off their backs – passing their classes by the skin of their teeth, and those who assess their work on a consistent basis – these may be the kids you see re-writing an essay or re-doing their math because it doesn’t look quite right. Successful kids assess and reassess, and know when they need another tool for support. Knowing when to pivot, when to seek another tool or when to find a work-around for a problem is a life skill that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
They know the end-goal: Successful kids know what they are working toward. It could be as simple as accolades or a bigger goal such as getting into the right middle school. They know where they want to be by the end of the school year because they have looked ahead to the next big accomplishment they want to achieve. Have these conversations with kids – ask them what their end goal is so you can plan for success with them.
They don’t multitask: For kids, having too many directives at once can be overwhelming. Parents can really help here by providing a prioritized task list. Successful kids know when to do the most important things first.
They don’t procrastinate: Remember that book, “Eat that Frog!” by Brian Tracy? Successful kids look at their tasks for the day and do the hardest thing first, so they get it out of the way and can concentrate on any smaller tasks at hand. I hope these 6 success habits help to start 2021 strong! See some helpful links below and check out my website elementaryreadingandwriting.com for much more! With lots of love for your little one’s learning, -Lexx