Now, Stop Procrastinating

It's tough to get kids to do what you want them to. It's excruciating to get them to do it now. In The Procrastinating Child (Walker & Co.), due out next month, Rita Emmett maintains that the "I'll do it later" syndrome is just a bad habit that can be eliminated. No matter what the child's age, parents should set up rules that are attached to a reward. For example, spending half an hour cleaning the room could equal half an hour of TV currency. Reasonable rewards, argues Emmett, add motivation to even the most dreaded tasks. If children have a problem focusing on homework, Emmett suggests asking them to work as fast and hard as they can on one assignment while setting the timer for, say, 45 minutes. Once the time is up, they can treat themselves to a reward.

Often kids feel overwhelmed and just need to learn how to break down complex jobs into manageable bits. Procrastination, Emmett says, stems from perfectionism, fear of responsibility or low self-esteem. And sometimes kids are simply mimicking others' behavior. In that case, maybe the parents could set the kitchen timer on themselves too.