Studying needs to become a habit, and parents can do many things to help children develop this habit. The study skill habit does not come naturally to most students. It takes hard work and time to develop this habit. Because good study habits are keys to success in school, they are worth the effort on the part of students and parents.

      It's never too early and it's never too late! The easiest time for parents to begin building the study habits is before a child starts school. Set aside the same time every day - a time for quiet activities like drawing, painting, coloring, reading books together, stringing buttons or any other activity the child enjoys. Keep items in a box or bag that can be carried easily to a quiet spot. Use a kitchen timer or an alarm clock to signal the end of quiet time. When the child begins school, this "quiet time" becomes "study time" and the box will contain supplies needed for homework. But it is never too late! The ideas that follow are useful at any age.

      Make your home a good place to study. Because studying is thinking, it is important to make your home a place where it is easy for your child to think. There are two things to remember about thinking: students can concentrate on only one thing at a time and they can choose what to think about. If a study area is free from noise and other distractions, it will be easier to choose to think about what they are studying. Here are several steps parents can take to make their home a good place for studying.

      Find the best time for studying. There are 168 hours in the week. If you subtract time for sleeping, eating and attending school, there are about 60 hours left. A student needs to know how those 60 hours are being used. Have your son or daughter keep a time chart for one week and record his or her activities during those free hours. Then talk about the times that could be best used for studying. Study times should be scheduled during the time when there seems to be the fewest distractions or interruptions.

      Decide together on the best time to study and then set that time aside at least five days each week. It is a good policy to use the afternoon or early evening as study time. This leaves time later in the evening for relaxing activities. If there is no homework, the scheduled study time should be used for review or to read. Plan on study breaks. The age of the student will determine how long he or she can concentrate before a rest is needed. List the tasks to be done (an assignment pad is helpful for this) and schedule a short break after each task is completed. Another method is to use a kitchen timer or an alarm clock to signal a break and to indicate the end of the study time. One hour of concentration is better than several hours full of distractions and interruptions. Whatever plan you make, stick to it. 

      Eliminate common distractions such as television, radio, stereo, people moving around or talking, younger children playing in the study area, or cluttered work areas. It is impossible to watch TV or listen to a favorite song and at the same time give full attention to what is being studied. Show how important schoolwork is by keeping the television, radio, or stereo off during study time. If students are in the habit of studying with these distractions, change the habit by turning the volume down a little lower each day until it does not seem strange to study in silence. Keep your conversation to a minimum and let younger children use this time as their study time or quiet time too. Make sure that the study area is neat and kept free of any distracting items.

      Avoid common interruptions such as phone calls, friends dropping in, or chores. Take a message if a phone call is received during study time so that the call can be returned later, or arrange for a “telephone time” when your child can receive and make phone calls. Your child should tell his or her friends to avoid visiting during study time and let them know when the best time is for visiting. Youngsters should not be interrupted during their study time to do chores. They should have another time set aside for doing their chores. The only time an interruption should be allowed is in an emergency situation.

      Provide physical conditions that help concentration such as good lighting, cool temperatures and a table or desk with a chair to work at. Good lighting as well as cool room temperatures are important during study time. The work area should have enough space for writing and reading and it should be cleared of any distractions. Sitting with good posture in a comfortable chair usually helps a student stay alert. Lying down may be so relaxing that it interferes with concentration. 

      Keep supplies available in the study area to save time. If the supplies are kept together in a box or small bucket they can be easily found in the study area. Use a drawer or shelf for larger items. Supplies should include paper, pencils, pens, erasers, glue, scissors, tape, paper clips, rubber bands, a ruler, a calculator, a pencil sharpener, a stapler and staples. The list of supplies should also include reference books. The most important book for a student to have is a dictionary. A thesaurus is also a great help for writing reports. There are inexpensive paperback editions of these reference books available which would be convenient to carry in a study box. An almanac, an atlas and a set of encyclopedias are also helpful.