As parents we want the best for our kids, we want them to be successful, have good and happy lives and be fulfilled. We don’t want them limiting their options this early in their lives by doing poorly at school. Neither do we want them so stressed about getting good grades that they forget how to be kids.

“You have no idea what my life is like!”

Unless you are a unique parent, I bet you have heard this phrase more than once from your teenager.

And I have to admit, they have a point. Not because it was soooo many years ago since we were their age, but because life has changed a lot in that time.

Technology, that supposedly makes life easier, actually uses up vast quantities of time, “friends” are no longer defined as people you actually know in real life, and the pressure to succeed is definitely a lot stronger at a much earlier age than it was in our day.

So how do we as parents counter this, and still help them to succeed without over pressuring?

I think that by teaching them the concept of managing time we can do a lot to help.

Time management is widely recognized in the business world as a skill that needs to be learned so that individuals can maximize their effectiveness. So where is the parallel with students? Time management for students is not a commonly taught skill. Schools try to demonstrate techniques as students progress through the grades but these days they don’t have the resources to give it the depth it requires, and by 8th grade it is assumed that students have pretty much learned what they need to in terms of both time management and study skills in general.

Time management, for students as with anyone else is a very personal matter. It has to be tuned in to what works for the individual – otherwise it just becomes another burden, something else to do. Just think of the number of shiny new planners gathering dust across the world!

The answer I have found works is to encourage each student to understand themselves first then take small doses of learning and apply it to their own circumstances, finding what’s right for them.

Once they see the benefit from one piece they can move on to the next. This way they learn about themselves and what works for them. This way they will build the skills that will see them through all the stages of school and beyond that into their careers.

Time management, for students as well as for adults is a way of moving them towards what we want for their futures. Successful, and happy and fulfilling lives.