There’s No Such Thing as Multi-Tasking While Studying

Back in the day, parents laid down rules, and whether or not we agreed with them, we obeyed.  TV hours were limited, curfews set, and homework was done before going outside to play.  Period.  After all, our parents knew best, right?

Tweens and teens neither have the maturity nor the foresight to make important decisions. But with today’s immediate-gratification mode of living, parents have lost control over their children.

Technology has consumed every aspect of our very existence.  We no longer leave voice messages and wait for responses; we text questions or statements and the recipient gets it within seconds. 

We no longer look forward to watching our favorite TV show with the family on Sunday night; we watch the whole season on our phones – by ourselves. 

We no longer play board games for family entertainment; we play video games with people we don’t know or see.  And all of this takes place on our handy phones that we carry with us 24/7.

That said, when our kids tell us that they’re “doing their homework,” what that really means is that they are going through the motions of doing their homework but barely learning anything.  Ever wonder why your child has “potential” but doesn’t quite make the mark?  Here’s why.  To really learn a concept, they need to read about it, ponder its meaning, do the exercises or write their reflections, and sit with it so it can get into their long-term memory.  It really takes this deep-thinking process to fully understand the concept so they can apply it to the real world or answer difficult questions on a test or final exam. 

But if your child is like most, they NEVER really have the opportunity to absorb information and to learn. Their thought processes are interrupted about every 20 seconds by checking their phones for messages or sending texts themselves.  With every interruption, they need to restart the thinking process again, and that in itself takes another 5 seconds.  See where I’m going with this?

Our kids, like ourselves, are addicted to social media.  They NEED to know what their friends are doing and who is having fun without them.  Their self esteem is probably wrapped around how many “likes” they got on Facebook or Instagram, and what people are saying about them.  That’s why THEY CANNOT MULTITASK WHILE DOING HOMEWORK!  Just because they tell you they’re doing their homework or studying for a test doesn’t mean that they are doing it well or efficiently.  No kid will admit to their parents that their social media is disrupting their grades and possible future because they are addicted to it.

So parents, put on your big boy or girl pants and be the parent.  Give them social media curfews and set down rules about when they have access to their phones or computers. Bring down the social media hammer. You can collect all cell phones until the homework and studying for tests is done each day, or when grades are where they need to be.  If they need to use the computer to do research or to download homework assignments, have them use a family computer.  Check the history tab on your child’s computer to make sure they aren’t using social media when they aren’t supposed to.

What they’ll soon discover is that they can actually get their homework done in half the time when they don’t have distractions and they’ll get better scores on tests and ultimately better grades.  As their parent, flex your power by giving them the guidance they need to succeed. 

Remember, their brains aren’t fully developed until they’re 25 years old, so don’t let them tell you how to do your job as the parent.  Call a family meeting and set up new rules that they’ll thank you for someday.  But don’t hold your breath – just know that you’re in charge and you’re giving them important life skills.