How to Help Your Child Manage Homework

Homework shouldn't (and needn't) throw the family household into a nightly uproar. Here are some commonsense guidelines to help your child take responsibility for what is, after all, her job.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Desk Lamps
• Desks
• Calendars
• Notebook Papers
• Personal Organizers
• Personal Computers

1. Help your child organize the three S's: space, stuff and schedule. Disorganization will turn 40 minutes of math, history and science into two hours of blood, sweat and tears.

2. Ask your child to review her assignments with you every so often. Especially in the middle and upper grades, assignments must be managed over time, so be sure your child plans the work and works the plan.

3. Emphasize that your child's schoolwork is the number one priority. Continued participation in extracurricular activities, a part-time job, and/or leisure pursuits are to be worked in around completion of regular homework and other assignments.

4. Check your child's work - not every night, but often enough that she knows you might (and that you care).

5. Insist that she redoes sloppy work, but don't correct mistakes. Teachers need to know what students don't know.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't fall into the trap of doing your child's homework for, or even with, her. Process is as important as product, and it doesn't help your child that you know how to reduce fractions to the lowest common denominator.

on 12/9/2005 My Mom had a problem with my brother saying he didn't have homework, and later finding out that he has a lot of missed work. Her solution was to buy a teacher's lesson plan book. She had my brother write in the assignment for the night, and asked the teacher to initial his book (especially when there's no homework). This helped him tremendously, and generally speaking, teachers don't mind it when they get this type of help from parents. This was also a great communication tool between the teacher and my Mom.

on 11/22/2005 Make sure that whereever your child does her homework, she has the proper materials (books, paper, pencil, etc.) that she needs. This prevents lost time and distractions. Also, set up a reward system. After 30 min. of math, let her have a 10-min. break.

on 11/22/2005 I start helping my kids with the homework soon as I come home from work. I do it in the kitchen, so I can cook while I am helping. I find it really easy, and the kids are more cooperative that way. I even provide snacks while dinner is cooking.

on 11/22/2005 Aside from reviewing homework with our 13-year-old daughter each night, we have also created a reward calendar, which gives her an opportunity to build up points to buy a new CD, have a sleepover, etc. It has really worked wonders!