Eat That Frog

• Encourage children to "eat that frog," a catchy phrase that refers to completing the priority tasks that may be the most challenging, time-consuming or least fun. Once these tasks are completed, it is easier for the child to avoid procrastinating since the hardest part of their assignment, chores or activities are out of the way.
  
  

Time Wasters

• Identify activities that give children the excuse that they don't have enough time. PBS Kids list four examples of social activities that cut hours from a child's day. These "time wasters" include watching TV, surfing or chatting on the Internet, video games and talking to classmates on the phone. Set a time period in the day for entertainment and stick to this time frame to get children accustomed to the routine.
  
  

Explain Benefits

• Explain to your child that getting smarter/getting good grades, running faster, playing their instrument better, requires that their time be planned to give them a fair chance at accomplishment. Use your child's imagination to help motivate them. Encourage your child to imagine achieving the goal at hand.
  
  

Teach Priorities

• Choose priorities with your child. Walk them through what priorities mean for them and your family as a whole. This also helps the child develop a sense of values. Gently explain the consequences of not maintaining a priority and give specific examples.
  
  

Brag Time

• Allow your child to display accomplishments in a healthy way. The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) suggests that when your children complete a task, they should feel free to reward themselves by announcing that they did it. Guard against children falling short of completion to brag. Encourage them to keep going to get past the next predetermined checkpoint and share when the task is fully completed.