To better manage your time, consider creating a schedule for both you and your child to follow. According to Scholastic Magazine, schedules help a child better manage her time and know how many commitments to take on at a time. As you start to follow your family schedule, you may need to tweak it. For instance, getting everyone fed in the morning may seem like it will only take half an hour, but you may find that you need an hour for breakfast.
Step 1
Give your child two sheets of graph paper. Instruct her to make a square for each half an hour that she is awake. Request that she make a copy for you as well. Each box should be labeled with a time starting with her wake-up time and ending with her bedtime.
Step 2
Let him fill in his commitments. For instance, he can write in school and any after-school practices. You can set times for the things you decide on, such as meal times, showering, studying and chores.
Step 3
Talk about how she can fill the empty squares. Leave some spaces empty for her to have some free time, time with friends or a set amount of television or computer time. Your empty squares may include times for relaxation and errands.
Step 4
Make a daily or weekly schedule. If your schedule is the same each day, you may only need to make one. If your child's schedule changes day to day, you may need to create a weekly schedule. PBS Kids suggests making one schedule for weekdays and one for weekends.
Step 5
Purchase two calendars. One of the calendars will be the family calendar and the other calendar will be for your child. Track extra activities and commitments on the calendars that deviate from your normal schedule. Check the calendar each day before referring to your schedule.
Things You'll Need
- Graph paper
- Pencil
- 2 calendars
Member Comments