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Beat The Winter Blues

Motivate Your Child To Learn With These Helpful Tips

How did your children do in the first semester of school? Were you pleased with their performance, or do you think there is room for improvement? No matter what letters appeared on their report cards, January is the perfect time to help your children get excited about going back-to-school and learning.

This can be accomplished by creating an atmosphere in your home that encourages learning. Here are some tips on how to get involved with your children's learning processes and help motivate them in the new year.

Have family reading time at least once a week. Utilize Book Adventure, a free Sylvan-created, interactive, reading program that is available online at www.bookadventure.com. Students choose their own books, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem their accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teachers and parents resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading.

• Set aside a specific time for homework and studying. Take advantage of this quiet time to sit with your child and work on your paperwork. This visually demonstrates the importance of "work time" to your child.
• If homework was a struggle during the first semester, set up a reward system for this semester. For example, deposit change in a small jar when homework is complete. As soon as the jar is full, treat the whole family to something everyone will enjoy.
• Refresh your child's "study space." Make sure that all materials, such as pencil sharpeners, erasers and extra paper, are easily accessible and in adequate supply.
• Create study plans. Have your child do her most challenging assignment first, while she is most focused, then have her work on easier tasks. Finish each homework session with a fun activity.
• Search the Internet with your child to learn more about topics being covered in school.
• Invite your child to participate in cooking or shopping to strengthen his math skills.
• Encourage your child to choose a classmate with whom she can study and swap reading books.
• Get your child organized inside and outside of school. By being organized, your child will have plenty of time to complete all assignments, and he will also learn the value of time management.
• Talk to your child's teachers. The second half of the year can be more challenging than the first. Find out if your child needs extra help in a specific subject in order to keep up with the class.