6 tips for parents of young children to prevent homework headaches
Few children are predisposed to plunge into the task with enthusiasm. Most must be taught the discipline and sense of duty necessary to stay on task and finish often boring work on time. Teachers can only do so much. When it comes to instilling good school habits at home, parents need to play an active and hands-on role. Some children adjust better than others, but in any case, good parents keep track of their children’s activities with homework and exert the necessary pressure to make sure it gets done.
1. Get organized: Create a system in your home to keep track of all tasks. There are several ways to do this, but perhaps the best option is to have a task pad in a common area of your home like the kitchen. When your child gets home from school, ask him to write down all of his homework for the day. Then cross them off when they are complete. Or, if you think your child has the discipline, have him bring a special notepad to school to write down all homework assignments as they’re given.
2. Use general rewards: Rewarding your child for each completed assignment or successful day of homework sends the message that homework is not a worthwhile activity in and of itself. So instead of giving lots of short-term rewards, reward your child for good grades at the end of the term.
3. Make it a family activity: Set aside a time each night for each family member to wind down with some quiet, studious activity. (If one parent has other things to do, it’s okay if only one parent is there.) Make sure the study area is free of distractions and sit down with a book or something of your own to study. Another benefit of this family study time is that you are immediately available if your child needs help with homework.
4. Cultivate self-discipline: Early in your child’s homework life, you may need to take a heavy hand to get him to sit quietly and get the job done. However, as your child gets older, try to back off a bit. Instead of constantly reminding your child that homework time is coming up or that there’s still work on the table, wait and see if she takes the initiative. If it looks like this is not going to happen, then you can step in and exercise parental rights.
5. Split Topics: If you and your spouse are available to help with homework, divide up your child’s subjects. In this way, each one can have their areas of specialization and the help they provide will be better informed. If this is your strategy, make sure your child’s homework time occurs when both parents are usually available.
6. Know when to seek help: Parents can’t know everything, and chances are you’ve forgotten much of what you learned during your own school days. If your child is struggling with a topic and you don’t feel qualified to give them the help they need, keep in mind that there are many options. Start by talking with your child’s teacher and school officials to see if tutoring options are available through the school. If not, you should be able to find plenty of private tutoring services, as well as plenty of people willing to help. And you can always ask friends and family who have expertise in relevant areas.
by Lisa Pecos