Time Management for
Teens and Kids

Good time management for our children is critical. Kids and teens alike have a lot going on in their young lives. It's amazing with all their schoolwork, sports, and activities they can get it all done and done right! We as parents can help by either limiting their activities and or teaching good time management for teens and kids.

Sometimes it's a good idea to step back and limit their activities so they can concentrate and excel in one or two areas and teach them good time management systems at the same time.

Good time management for teens and kids is the same as it is for us. On my page Effective Time Management, I talk about planning, multitasking, goal setting, delegating, and dealing with procrastination to manage time more effectively. Let's break it down a little more to make it easier for kids and teens to understand.

Write Reminder Notes and To Do Lists

Teach your kids and teens to write themselves notes. See the page on Writing Things To Do Lists. This is an awesome way to help our kids get a hold of their projects and schoolwork to manage their time more effectively.

My preteen writes notes to herself at night to remind her to pack lunch, fill her water container, pack her sports uniform, etc. I no longer get phone calls during the day saying she forgot something and needs me to bring it to school.

Ask the Teacher for Help

Encourage your child to ask for help in school. This way when they have an assignment or problem they don't understand, valuable time won't be wasted and they won't stress about not being able to complete their work. This also gives valuable feedback to the teacher giving them an understanding of where their students are in comprehending a lesson.

This is time management for teens at its best and has worked wonders for my preteen. Prior to getting her courage up to ask for help, my daughter would hate to study and struggle with her homework. She would waste a lot of time, get frustrated, and stressed out… serious time wasted, like two to three hours a night!

Teach Your Child to Set Boundaries

Encourage your child to talk with you if they feel they have too many chores at home in addition to outside activities, and feel they can't get it all done. You may or may not change things, but they will feel they can talk with you and work through it with them.

Help Your Child Get Organized

Your child will love organized living. Good organization will help them in more ways than one! They will save time and frustration because they will be able to find things. They will be calm and less stressed since they won't have so much visual clutter. Late homework will be a thing of the past since they'll be able to find their school supplies more readily, not to mention they'll be able to find their homework!

For more tips on how to get your child organized, see my page on Teach Your Kids How to Get Organized.

Teach Them to Prioritize

Teach kids and teens how to prioritize their activities. For instance, I teach my preteen she needs to get her stuff done in this order… homework, after dinner chores, then she can eat dessert, hygiene stuff (take a shower, brush teeth, etc.), get ready for the next day (make lunch, pack up backpack, etc.), and then relax and read before bed.

Plan, Plan, Plan

Planning is a must time management for teens. Have them think about what their day will be like tomorrow. Is it going to be hectic and fast paced? I do this when I have a lot of errands and appointments. I think about what's going on the next day and pack accordingly. I pack myself snacks so I don't reach for fast food, I pack bills that need to go out in the mail, I pack my grocery and store lists, etc. Anything I'm going to need the next day, I pack up in my purse the night before.

Help your child think through their next day. Do they have a sports activity after school? Do they have a quiz or test? How about a project that's due? Help them look at their schedule for the next day and prepare accordingly.

Avoid Procrastination

Procrastination is the enemy of good time management for teens and kids. Talk about procrastination and daydreaming with your kid. Teach them to avoid procrastination and tackle their school projects head on. See my page on Effective Time Management for excellent tips on overcoming procrastination.

Use Free Time Wisely

Teach them to use their free time wisely. Say for instance, they finish up their math test before anyone else in class. They can pull out their biology notes and review for their upcoming biology test.

Use a Day Planner

Give them a day planner to write down all their sport practices and games, school tests, and assignment due dates. This way there are no excuses for late homework or forgotten test dates.

A good time to start getting your kids in the habit of using a planner is around third grade. At this point they're past the difficult school hump of second grade, and if they're on track, they're able to read a lot better, and school is really starting to "click" for them.

These excellent time management for teens and kids can be taught by setting good examples yourself and talking about them to your kids. Good time management systems like these and good organizational skills will guarantee your children will excel, giving them a head start in our busy fast paced world.

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