According to the professionals who write for "Science" Magazine, children as young as preschool age can benefit from delayed gratification. By teaching children the importance of working for something over time, they are better able to deal with stressful situations and frustration. When teaching children to read, some are likely to struggle more than others. In these situations, children who have been exposed to delayed gratification can deal with the stress and frustration more so than those who are rewarded instantly. Instant gratification can teach children that they can have anything they want on command which is really defeatist when it comes to education and work environments.
In an article published by "The New Yorker," Jonah Lehrer reveals information obtained from a 1960s study in which children were forced to see if they could tolerate delayed gratification. The children who were able to withstand eating the goodies that were in front of them went on to achieve higher test scores on tests such as the SAT and performed better academically all around. Therefore, children who can tolerate delayed gratification are more likely to be able to learn subjects such as reading and writing than students who are not used to dealing with delayed gratification.
Children who can accept delayed gratification are more likely to be better organized, which can lead to academic success such as literacy. Delayed gratification skills allow children to be able to organize priorities and put more important things first such as academics and family. Children who develop these skills early are more apt to put school work, such as reading and writing before play or free time, according to the professionals who create the ACT and SAT tests.
Learning to read and write effectively takes discipline as well as study and practice. Children who are able to cope with delayed gratification are more likely to be disciplined when it comes to learning to read and write. Teaching children to read and write effectively is a long process as it usually begins in preschool and continues up through the rest of their academic lives.