I’ve been working in a school for more than twenty years. Many parents often ask me, “How can you teach your child good study skills? How can he or she get the homework done as quickly as possible?” Here are some tips:

1. If the child is as young as nine or ten, ask him or her to prepare a small notebook to write down the homework given by his or her teachers. By developing this habit, he or she will learn to be much more responsible（负责的）.

2. Find a good place to study. This should be a quiet place that is free from everything but study things. No games, radios, or televisions. Once you have decided on a place to study, this should be the only place where your child does his or her homework and studies. There should also be a very specific time for homework to be done. Usually, homework should be done as soon as the child gets home from school. This also goes for the kids who take part in after-school activities. Of course, it is a good idea to allow the child to have a healthy snack before the work begins.

3. Also remember, that it is the child’s duty to do his or her homework. Some children give up easily and go to Mom and Dad for help when they have a problem. Try to let them solve it first. By doing this, they will get a sense of success from overcoming problems. In this way we help them to help themselves.

Studies say that people nowadays have more free time than ever before. Then why doesn’t it feel that way? These days, our free time is usually spent watching television, using computers or communicating on our phones. To really help us increase our energy levels, it is important to use our free time wisely.

Set up your goal. Think about what you want to achieve in your free time. Do you want to get fit, get creative or simply relax? Don’t worry about what you should do. Just think about what will make you feel more satisfied.

Set a date. Plan when you are going to enjoy your free time, and treat it in the same way as anything else on your calendar. If something else more important comes along you can choose whether or not to postpone it, but never cancel it!

Do what you want. Many people worry too much about their free time activities. They want to do things that will make their friends surprised, or help them get a better job. But free time isn’t about that. It is about doing an activity for fun, so don’t let outside pressures influence your choice.

________ You’ll really know you’re using your time wisely if what you’re doing helps other people. So find out what’s going on in your community and lend a hand. Visit the elderly or help out in a children’s club. If socializing is not your thing, why not volunteer for a wildlife organization?