7 homework tips for parents

It’s safe to say that this is a school year like no other. With so many changes to how education is unfolding this season, kids are spending a lot more study time at home due to COVID protocols and restrictions. As a parent, you can help prop up schoolwork by taking an active role. To keep your children from falling behind and to ensure any school work they do at home actually sticks, take advantage of these smarts tips for those homework-bound.

Photo Credit: leszekglasner

Designate a particular area for homework, taking all the necessary elements into consideration:

• relative quiet
• ample lighting
• supplies at the ready—pens, paper, reference materials, calculator, etc.
• as few distractions as possible—no media or phone calls

Some parents find creating a study space in their home office can spur confidence and help kids focus. If you find your presence prompts over-reliance, leave the room and leave them to it.

Scheduling the studying turns it into a routine, a daily box that must be ticked, no questions asked. Because homework is in effect a chore, try to get it done as early as possible—right after school is ideal. Then, everyone can relax. That said, some kids do their best homework after supper or need a longer break after school to wind down from it. Bring your child in on this decision to pick a time that reflects all these variables.

Some nights, homework will be heavy; others, not so much. Plan for this by teaching your kids how to work through large assignments in segments. Help your child to itemize the steps for projects that will take multiple days to complete. This type of preparedness lends confidence to study time. In terms of school-life balance, create a larger schedule to ease the juggling of weekly or monthly commitments such as extracurricular activities.

No pom-poms required! Motivate your children by teaching them that doing their homework well yields positive results. It also makes regular school easier! Checking completed homework not only makes sure it gets done, but it also shows that you are engaged in the achievement. Show encouragement when faced with any negative thinking and make yourself available for questions and quizzing. That said, make sure the kids do their own homework. Doing it for them is not helping them.

Maybe your child is the perfect procrastinator? If so, create a sense of urgency with a timer. This external incentive substitutes for the absence of an internal one. Set it for however long you and your child think a given task should take—then shave a few minutes off. Like magic, the work gets done, and doing it is a bit more fun. Caution: Beware of rushed sloppiness.

Some days, productivity is just not in the cards. Homework can get overwhelming; routines can get railroaded. Frustration unravels focus, which creates anxiety. Sometimes, kids need to complain and you simply have to listen.

But if your child is frequently not understanding the assignments, connect with the teacher. There could be other factors to investigate. Maybe he can’t see the blackboard and needs glasses. Maybe there’s an attention or learning problem to work through. If there’s a certain subject that requires special attention, ask the teacher for assistance with finding a tutor to help pick up the slack.

Kids appreciate your praise for a job done well. Reward especially good work with a small treat or a break, or by posting a test on the kitchen bulletin board. Sometimes a simple “Great job on this” might just give the boost of confidence your child needs to keeping doing his or her best.