The importance of creating study habits in children

Today, the technologies and distractions to which children are subjected make it a daunting task for
many parents to get their children to perform well in school and develop a taste for learning.

"However, if we work with them from an early age on the acquisition of study habits, in the future we
will have children with fewer learning difficulties, greater capacity for concentration and
comprehension, and with better social skills and self-confidence". So says the psychopedagogue of
Clínica Vespucio, Paloma Vilches.

Specialists agree that it is good to start this activity at an early age, developing a routine that ideally
should be applied every day, establishing a fixed schedule. In the long term, the benefits of inculcating
a study habit in children will allow them to have spaces for dispersion, which are very important and
can be reflected in family coexistence.

As the educational psychologist points out, "this means that the child will have space to share with his
parents, will be able to enjoy outings and recreational moments in which he can develop his creativity
through play, for example, in addition to developing his social skills, which are fundamental outside
the field of study. And on the other hand, this routine will facilitate improved academic performance."

Parental commitment is key

First of all, it should be noted that study practices can be implemented at any time in life, so parents
can begin to establish habits at stages when children are not yet beginning their formal education or
when they start elementary school, middle school and even college.

The important thing is that parents support this task by trying to instill in their children to be
organized with their time. For Paloma Vilches, "in young children it is good, for example, to keep a
calendar with a series of activities where they can visualize concretely what activities they should
carry out on a daily basis. You can always innovate in this sense and parents have the option of
incorporating images or didactic objects into their children's calendar that allow the child to mark the
tasks they are carrying out".

In the case of teenagers or university students, it is advisable to encourage study based on their
personal interests and the motivation they have to carry out this type of activities.
In either case, the study routine is something that should be planned based on the time available,
leaving the weekend for them to have enough free time to rest from the tasks and activities that keep
them connected from Monday to Friday with the whole school process.

A place that has the necessary materials to carry out their study time should also be considered. In
addition, it is advisable to avoid all kinds of distractions during their routine, such as television, toys or
smartphones. The educational psychologist indicates that the ideal is "to start by encouraging those
subjects or tasks that are of interest to the child or that are easier for him/her to do because he/she
has more skills for it. From this basic motivation, one can begin to establish a real study habit. Then, in
an intermediate way, one can choose a subject that is more complex for the child, and then return to
something simpler, so that the routine is not something complex or tedious from the beginning".

Parents should also consider that there should be short breaks or breaks in the study day to allow
time for rest and for the child or adolescent to drink water, eat or simply clear his or her head for a
few minutes and then return to school.

The most important thing is to give children the tools and support necessary for study to be a positive
practice and an instance that allows them to develop important intellectual and social skills.