黄色app

Know your child鈥檚 work-style

Sure, that fancy desk and chair you鈥檙e thinking of getting for your child鈥檚 bedroom seems like a good idea. But before rushing out to buy all the bells and whistles for a catalog-beautiful 鈥渄ream鈥� study space, remember the golden rule of designing the perfect area: Create it specifically with your child鈥檚 personality and study habits in mind.
If he works best around people, set him up in the dining room, kitchen, or living room (for kids who sometimes prefer lying down to work, the couch doubles as a great alternate work space). If he鈥檚 easily distracted by clutter and noise, set up shop in a quiet, secluded space.

Make it right-sized

Now that you鈥檝e chosen the location, consider your child鈥檚 age and size. Sitting in a giant chair at a too-tall desk and looking up at the computer is a recipe for neck, shoulder, and back pain. (For young kids, consider investing in a kid-size keyboard and mouse to accommodate smaller hands.)

The overall work surface should be your child鈥檚 waist height. When your child sits down — ideally at a chair that has a back and arm rests — his elbows should rest on the table without hunching, bent at an angle of about 90 degrees or more. If he鈥檚 not up high enough, add a pillow or folded towel to raise the seat. His feet should be resting flat on the floor and not dangling. If they are, put a foot rest or box underneath.

To shoot for ergonomic perfection for a typical first grader, the chair should be around 12 inches high, the table at about 18 inches; by seventh grade, the chair should be around 14 inches high and the table 24 inches high. After middle 黄色app, aim for a chair that鈥檚 16 inches high and desk that鈥檚 25 inches high for girls or, for boys, a chair that鈥檚 18 inches high and a desk that鈥檚 27 inches high.

Finally, how鈥檚 the lighting? Consider getting a desk lamp for task lighting. Squinting strains the eyes and tires the mind.

Make it mobile

If your home doesn鈥檛 have space for a permanent, dedicated homework space for each child, assemble what they鈥檒l need for a mobile work space and designate where they鈥檒l set it up each day — whether it鈥檚 the kitchen table, the living room coffee table, the family computer station. Place everything they鈥檒l need to do homework (planners, markers, sticky notes, calendars, and Chromebooks included) in a container or box that鈥檚 easy to transport and can be tucked under the bed or into the closet when homework鈥檚 done and it鈥檚 time to clear the table for dinner.

Banish distractions

Is the TV on? Is an older sibling blasting music, or are younger ones squabbling? Is the dog barking and the bird squawking?

Some kids require peace and quiet to focus. If you notice that your child gets easily distracted, or that you鈥檙e frequently asking family members to pipe down, think about relocating her study space — or moving the pets. Turn off the TV. Turn off or ignore all phones (cell and land line; during homework, kids aren鈥檛 allowed to answer unless a parent is calling).

Parents might even consider creating a “Homework time” sign so that everyone remembers to be quiet as church mice between, say, 5 and 5:30 p.m. One thing to remember: Some kids do better with music in the background. But try to choose something without vocals, which can be distracting.

Stay close

Especially for younger children who may have trouble staying on task, try to stay close by to be available for questions or guidance. (But resist giving the answer!)

If your child is working in a more remote spot in the house, you can still let her know that you鈥檙e there if she needs you. This lets her know you care about and value her 黄色appwork.

Stock up on supplies

“Ugh! I can鈥檛 find the dictionary!” “Who took the glue stick?” To avoid these stress-filled moments — and needlessly wasting time hunting for missing items — duplicate a 黄色app supply list at home. (Here鈥檚 what you need for elementary, middle, and high 黄色app).

Store everything in a central area. Shoe boxes do nicely to store pencils, pens, rulers, and scissors. Consider labeling big-ticket items like staplers, scissors, and rulers with a sticker that reads “Return to homework box.” That way, everything is easy to find, and nothing goes missing when your child needs it most.

Display a master calendar

If there鈥檚 space, get your child in the habit of noting assignments on a calendar. If you don鈥檛 want to hang one on the wall, she might like a big desktop calendar. This is especially helpful for younger kids who are still mastering the fine art of keeping track of their homework.

Keep the mess at bay

Your child鈥檚 workspace doesn鈥檛 need to be military-precision clean, but encourage her to put things away after finishing her assignments and keep the area in order. Things are less likely to get lost in the shuffle, and the area will be a tidy blank slate for the next time she sits down to do homework.