How to Help Your Child to Overcome Procrastination

By Dickson Tumuramye

Procrastination, often dubbed as the thief of time, is a habit that many struggle with. Whether it is due to fear, laziness, or a perception of having ample time, the consequences can be significant. Children, too, grapple with procrastination, and if left unaddressed, it can hinder their productivity and success in various aspects of life.

In today's fast-paced world where time management is crucial, instilling the importance of prompt action in children is paramount. Children may not recognize that procrastination can lead to increased work, stress, emotional distress, decreased productivity, failures, and missed deadlines which can culminate in bigger problems than anticipated. As parents and teachers, we play a pivotal role in guiding them toward overcoming procrastination and fostering a proactive approach to tasks.

The first step in addressing procrastination is helping children understand what it is and its detrimental effects. By raising awareness about procrastination as a habit of delaying tasks, children can recognize when they're falling into this pattern and take steps to counter it.

Teaching children effective time management skills is essential for combating procrastination. Encourage them to prioritize tasks, set deadlines, and create schedules or to-do lists to manage their time efficiently. By learning to allocate time appropriately to different activities, children can avoid last-minute rushes and reduce stress. This will also help them in their adulthood when they will need to balance between work, family, and life.

Children are like monkeys that see and do, and therefore they often emulate the behavior of adults around them. Thus, parents and teachers need to model punctuality and effective time management. By demonstrating proactive behavior and showing the value of timely action, adults can inspire children to adopt similar habits. What children see us doing influences a lot about their worldview, the reason we need to lead as good examples.

While encouragement is vital in motivating children to overcome procrastination, appropriate disciplinary measures may also be necessary for those full of excuses all the time and are not willing to change. By establishing clear expectations and consequences for procrastination, children learn the importance of responsibility and accountability.

Consistent rules, regulations, and expectations, both at home and in school, provide children with structure and guidance. Clear guidelines help children understand what is expected of them and reinforce the importance of timely completion of tasks. If you don’t have clear ones, this is the time to set them. This improves their self-management, obedience to authority, respect for the law and elders, etc.

If children have a problem doing school work at home for any reason that inevitably leads to postponing it, work with the class teacher. If a child is a day scholar, they can finish homework at school before coming back home. Therefore, you need a good working relationship with the teachers or the school.

In conclusion, addressing procrastination in children requires a multi-faceted approach involving awareness, skill-building, role-modeling, and consistent guidance. By equipping children with the necessary tools and support, we can empower them to overcome procrastination and thrive in their academic, personal, and professional pursuits.

*The writer is the Executive Director of Hope Regeneration Africa, parenting coach, marriage counselor, and founder of the Men of Purpose Mentorship Program*

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Dickson Tumuramye is also a passionate speaker on:

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