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Is your child's idea of a study area involve draping
his legs over the back of the sofa and reading upside
down with a bag of potato chips on his stomach? Does
she study on the floor with the TV blasting and the
cell phone to one ear? Does your children spend hours
staring at their textbooks but very little time studying?
It may be time to create a kid-friendly study area for
your budding Einstein!
To ensure the study area meets your child's needs:
1. Find a space where your child can have some quiet,
but will be close to help if he needs it. A corner of
the kitchen, family room or even a bedroom will do as
long as there is enough space to spread out books and
materials.
2. Choose a desk that will last. Children are notoriously
hard on furniture, so a solid, well-constructed desk
will be worth the investment. Make certain the surface
of the desk has a non-glare finish and that the desk
is big enough to be comfortable without overwhelming
the space.
3. Having a comfortable chair is vital. It is best
to find an ergonomicchair although we know that very
few children sit in a correct fashion! Cushioned seats
in bright colors or patterns will give your child little
excuse not to stay at the desk until his/her homework
is done. Unless you want your child to have chair-rolling
races or play "spin the chair till you puke",
it is probably not a good idea to have rollers or swivels
on the chair.
4. Good lighting is very important in a child's study
area. Although children seem to be able to see in any
lighting (especially when you don't want them to see!),
a desk lamp with a light pattern that covers a large
area is a good investment. Make certain that the shade
is at a height that ensures that the glare isn't directly
into your child's eyes.
5. Make sure there is plenty of storage space in the
study area. Plastic boxes with labels, cubby holes and
shelves can help your child organize his/her "stuff."
Bright colors and labels will make it more fun for your
child to put things away.
6. Create place for your child to display his accomplishments,
whether it is art work, gold stars, or "Well done!"
We all need a little reminder of what we have done well!
Having a study space of their own can help your children
develop good study habits. Having input into the colors
and furnishings of that space can help your child develop
a sense of "ownership" of the space. And having
your children actually study will help you keep those
gray hairs at bay!
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