How Can You Help? When it comes to children, procrastination can be a problem
— and something they do a lot. But is it procrastination or laziness? It's impor-.
The act or habit of putting off or delaying something requiring attention.
Dec 2012 Theme of the Month
Dear Parents and/or Guardians, This month, our weekly lessons cover the subject of procrastination, including what it is and why we sometimes tend to procrastinate. We will also discuss loafing, delaying, and hesitating.
How Can You Help? When it comes to children, procrastination can be a problem — and something they do a lot. But is it procrastination or laziness? It’s important to know the difference. When a person procrastinates, it’s usually because they are not sure what to do — or because they’re afraid of making a mistake. If this is the case, especially with a child, we need to step in and show them how to do it or help them learn that it is okay to try. If, on the other hand, it’s laziness, then we need to manage how we are going to help our children become responsible and independent. If you want your children to learn good habits, they need to prioritize. You have to explain that if they don’t do what is necessary at the time that it needs to be done, there are going to be consequences. As a parent, you’ll need to decide on the consequences. The consequence should always depend on the age of the child and what is appropriate. For a younger child, it may be taking away a favorite toy for a certain period of time. For an older child, perhaps it’s taking away the car and driving privileges. Showing a child from an early age that they have responsibilities, too, is very beneficial for their emotional growth, self-esteem, and developing confidence. You don’t want to raise a lazy child who feels he or she can always put things off until tomorrow … and then tomorrow never comes. A lazy child can turn into a lazy adult. If that happens, it’s a lot harder to change. If you child spends a lot of time loafing and has no direction, give him or her some responsibilities and things to accomplish. Allow children to loaf only when their chores or responsibilities are completed and when they have the opportunity to have some down time. If you see your child hesitating to start something, ask if he or she knows where to being. Ask if he or she needs help or an explanation so he or she is sure of what to do. By all means, have patience and be observant so you can determine if your child is lazy or if he or she just needs some direction and help.
Week One: “Do you know what happens when you give a procrastinator a good idea? Nothing!” — Donald Gardner
Week Two: “Even if you’re on the right track – you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Arthur Godfrey
Week Three: “Someday is not a day of the week.” — Author Unknown
Week Four: “It’s a job that’s never started that takes the longest to finish.” — J. R. R. Tolkien
Master Tony Kook’s North Shore Taekwondo 2900 Lonsdale Ave North Vancouver, B.C Tel: 604-986-5558 Call us today for your free introductory class!
www.northshoretaekwondo.com
