Study proscrastination techniques

Study procrastination techniques
19 May 2014

If it wasn’t for the fact that I was in possession of three exam time tables, from two different schools, for three different kids, as well as a school year planner for three different kids, from two different schools, I’d STILL be able to tell you that exams are pending.  That studying time was looming. 

Actually, I don’t really require external stimuli from the various schools.  No little notes needed to remind me.  Or school pop-ups popping up on my PC warning me and advising me.

No sirree Bob.  I’m able to figure this one out, all on my own.

I don’t even have to tap into my incredible deductive skills.  Nor snooping abilities.  No need to hound and pounce, or sniff about.  Sadly no demand for my clearly superior and highly evolved detective skill set either.  And I’m actually pretty good at the whole spy-information-hunting thing.  Sixteen years of parenting has honed me to an investigative genius.  With very little clues, I am able to successfully find out exactly what’s happening in my kids’ lives.  Much to their disgust.  Sometimes, overactive imagination aside, I’m even right.  Well sort of.  On a good day at least.

So exactly what tipped me off this time?  What clues did they leave behind?

Amber has spring cleaned her bedroom.  And somehow, that was all that it took.

Like any normal fairly self-obsessed and self-involved twelve year old little girl, her bedroom is a “treat”.  Scrap pieces of paper and notes from friends, bags filled with bags, filled with bags, lotions and potions, more nail polish than the cosmetics counter at Clicks, little boxes and bowls filled with rings and bracelets, bangles and earrings, hair clips and hair ponies, stray socks and shoes, sports paraphernalia, books, girlie magazines, pencils and pens, a ridiculous amount of pencil cases, and silly little short rulers, hats and sunglasses, the odd random teddie bear, ear phones, and CD’s, make-up, etc.

And then all of a sudden, she was suspiciously quiet.  For a really long time.  Now one would be forgiven for thinking that quiet during study time is normal.  In fact, even a requirement.  But here’s the thing – quiet during study time usually lasts about 11 minutes.  After which, said child usually emerges from their bedroom, declaring themselves fully cognizant of all of the information they had to learn.  Pages and pages and pages full of knowledge, they somehow miraculously, sucked up by merely being in the same room.  Possibly through a process of osmosis.  Remarkably though, upon offering parental services to test how well they know this work (the work they promise high and low that they know), one is simply always disappointed.  Why?  Because they know squat.  Actually, diddly squat to be exact.

Thus, my first tip-off was the fact that Amber quietly disappeared to her bedroom for over an hour.  Remained quiet.  And stayed there. 

And yip, upon further investigation, I found a happily absorbed little girl, packing nail polish in colour rows, putting pencils in pencil cases, and sorting out her jewellery.

Busted!

Exams are clearly looming.

Now the only reason I could see through this ruse, was the fact that I have used this exact same tactic myself.  When I was a kid, supposed to be studying.  To be fair, I still do it to this day. 

When all else fails, and you really don’t want to do something, then tackle a cupboard or a drawer.  Actually, I’m pretty sure I could make really pretty nail polish colour rows too…

Way better alternative than doing that pesky admin I’ve been putting off.

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