We all dread kids coming home from school grumbling about homework and projects galore. However, there are several things you can do to make getting your kids to do homework a non-issue in your home. Homework is a part of growing up and that means whether your kids are in elementary school or high school, you may be faced with a struggle. These seven helpful tips will help your kids breeze through homework without the usual frustrations.
Steps to Homework Success
1. Create a homework station. Kids, like adults, need structure. Giving them a designated place in your home for homework and projects will make it easier to stick with a routine. It will also give them their own place to put notes, assignment worksheets or even to store resources for ongoing projects. When everything is organized and “in its place”, it is a lot easier for kids to stay motivated.
2. Remove distractions. The most important and easiest of the steps to homework success is to remove distractions like electronics. This means cell phones are placed in another room, the music is turned off and the TV isn’t on in the background. Distractions will not only make homework take longer and make it harder to concentrate.
Sign up for our newsletter & get a free e-cookbook.
3. Create a routine. Routine and structure are very important. It means your kids goes to their homework station at the same time each day to do their work. No play time first or doing things after dinner. They might even appreciate the routine after a period of adjustment!
4. Give them the right tools. Make sure you have supplies on hand for writing, drawing, measuring or research. If you don’t have the tools on hand, be willing to find them or buy them. Keep their homework stations stocked with everything they’ll need.
5. Help them when they struggle. Don’t send them off to work without help. Be available for your kids to ask questions and seek answers if they are having a hard time. A learning curve is common with any new subject or material, and as a parent, keep your eyes open for ways you can help them succeed.
6. Hire a tutor if there is a real educational need. Whether it’s help with a learning disability or a particularly hard subject, sometimes you need to call for reinforcements. Hiring a tutor isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s simply another option to help your child succeed and it’s there if you need it.
7. Reward kids for completed assignments or improved grades. No, I don’t mean bribery. It’s more like noticing their efforts and surprising them with a special treat, movie night out or something similar. It doesn’t have to be a regular thing, but a way for you to show you’ve noticed how hard they have been working and that you are proud.
These steps weren’t that crazy hard right? It boils down to being consistent, thinking outside the box when required and working with your kids’ specific needs to develop a routine that works.
Do you have any helpful homework tips to share?
mrdisco says
don’t forget online resources like Khan Academy
Susan says
I think you have provided an excellent list of ways to help ensure homework (and school) success. The only thing I would add is to encourage children to read every day. Also, a parent can read to their children at night at a level higher than the child can read. This allows them to hear richer language to improve their vocabulary, and how the flow of language feels and expressive language sounds when reading.
Robyn L says
so true on the suggestions and I know for sure that the ‘no distractions’ is a great one.
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
There was only one of my 7 that I had trouble with with homework, she just wasn’t interested and it literally took forever. I look at her now and see a compassionate, loving wife and mother who has a fantastic job earning well and just ask myself why so many hours of suffering for both of us.
Debbie Bashford says
very comprehensive list, I always check their homework to make sure it’s completed and correct. If something is wrong we correct it together