3. Positive Reinforcement Allow incentives for finishing assignments early. Offer your assistance in proofreading or typing the essay if it is finished at least one day ahead of schedule. Don’t willingly stay up the night before an essay/project is due to help your child. Perhaps assistance isn’t desired. How about spending the evening before an assignment is due doing something fun like getting ice cream or flavored coffee if your child completed the work a day early?
4. Decide if there is a Problem Does your child make a habit of starting projects the day before they are due but still gets a good night’s sleep and earns an “A”? If so, and your child’s health and grades aren’t at risk, maybe you can relax. One of my college roommates majoring in journalism never began thinking about her essays until the evening before they were due. She would type away into the night and usually ended up printing the final copy before dawn. Fortunately, we never had a power outage or she never fell ill. She claimed she always had writer’s block without the needed adrenaline created by an impending deadline. She now is a front-page editor for a major newspaper. Remind your child that it is important to plan ahead in case of emergencies, but accept the fact that we are all individuals and people work and learn differently.
Go To Page: 1 2
