CultusThere is no denying that technological advancement has facilitated us with enormous benefits. However, everything comes for a price. If you have kids at home, it is important to acknowledge that they have impressionable minds, are more vulnerable to the impact of digital media. In fact, it has become difficult for them to focus on their studies amidst all the digital distractions. As parents, it is quite common for you to look for a few ways to encourage your kids to study. Also, you can’t make them love their books as long as their eyes are glued to a Smartphone or TV. Here are a few tips that will serve you both ways.
1. Create a timetable for your kid
This is one of the basic steps that will allow your kid to focus on his/her studies instead of being distracted by the digital disturbances of computers, Smartphone or gaming devices. It is better to set a timetable for the kid from the beginning of his/her academic years. Set a significant amount of time when he/she will focus on studies and nothing else.
Kids might require homework help from the Internet. So, you cannot really tell them not to use their Smartphone or computer while studying. Instead, track their activities by going through their search history. Assist them to follow the timetable. Make it very clear to them that they should not use digital devices for fun in their study hours. This will discipline the kids from the beginning and have a positive influence on their academic performance.
2. Be a role model
They say “Practice what you preach.” When you are raising a kid, you need to abide by the saying religiously. If you want your kid to put down his/her iPad and focus on solving the homework, you cannot simply go to the next room and talk to your friend on Skype for hours. If the child sees the hypocrisy in the act, you won’t be able to earn his/her respect. If you fail to follow what you preach, you might as well forget about getting him/her to solve the homework.
If you want your kid to focus on studies without being distracted by digital devices, you need to set an example. Limit the use of cell-phone when you are with your kid. If he/she sees that you are doing all your tasks without being distracted by the digital devices, it can make a positive influence and inspire him/her to complete the homework without opting for assistance from professionals who offer online assignment help.
3. Block unnecessary distractions
If you find out that your child often visits social media sites or online streaming services while studying, it is better to block those distracting web services as long as your kid is studying. If you do not intervene, he or she may waste a significant amount of time on unnecessary things rather than solving their homework.
Instead of being the villain in your kid’s growing years, try to be a parent who is considerate. Blocking the fun and distracting sites like Facebook, YouTube and NetFlix may stop your kid from wasting away his/her study hours, but he or she might see you as an inconsiderate person. So, instead of blocking those services for good, tell them they can enjoy those services as soon as they finish their homework. It will get things done without ruining your relationship with your kid.
4. Encourage them to monitor their time on the Internet
As mentioned earlier, you should not stop your kids from using digital devices all the time. If they are using it for other activities when they are supposed to study, you should definitely stop them. To inculcate a sense of self-awareness, you can let them track the time they are spending on the Internet. If they start to realize that they have spent too much time doing nothing fruitful, they will automatically develop a tolerance against digital disturbances.
There are several applications that can help monitor one’s activity on a computer, tablet or mobile phone. You can ask your kid to monitor how much time he or she is spending on digital devices every day. They may not necessarily dive into studying right away, but if they will cultivate new hobbies, which will help in the development of their character.
5. Bust the myth about multi-tasking
The best way to make your kid get rid of the digital distractions and help him/her focus on studies is by having a quality conversation. It may not be an instant solution, but it has the potential to change the dynamics you share with your kid. If they are too young, don’t try to inject complex things in his mind. Just let him know that multitasking might not be an ideal way to deal with studies.
Have a one-to-one chat about the way he or she studies. You can focus on the point that “humans lose up to 40 per cent of their productivity when they are multi-tasking”. Explain it to them that if they are using their mobile phones and other digital devices while studying, it can affect their learning. Try to convince your kid to focus on one thing at a time, and he/she might just find the way to overcome digital distractions.
In all honesty, forcing your kid to stop using digital devices is not a long-term solution. Rather than forcing your will down their throat, you should try to convince them to choose their books over digital devices. Needless to say, this is not going to be an easy feat to achieve. In case things go out of hand, you can always take advice from a professional career counsellor and help your kid to find the right path.
Author:
Jedda Cain is a professor of Psychology from Sydney. She offers career counselling to students and also serves as a guest lecturer in several colleges in Australia. Furthermore, she is associated with Essayassignmenthelp.com.au and offers essay help to individuals.