How to Get a Child With a Bad Attitude to Do Their Homework
Your child refuses to do his homework and has a bad attitude. You are scared that he will fall behind, develop poor work habits and perhaps even fail a grade. According to the U.S. Department of Education, homework is a vital tool for teaching children independence, good work habits and repeating and expanding upon lessons learned. Even if your child has a terrible attitude, you can get him to do his homework by working on your own attitude, providing the appropriate environment and reinforcing good behavior.
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Instructions
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Set a good example. Complete your chores such as dishes or laundry before watching television. You can complete these tasks as your child does her homework. Smile when you are doing your own chores; talk about the satisfaction you experience after completing them.
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Establish consequences for behavior. Set a specific time every day for your child to work on completing his homework. If he does not comply, give a consequence such as not getting to watch television for the rest of the night.
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Allow your child to experience the natural consequences of his behavior. A child who does not complete homework may experience a drop in grades, for example, which is a negative experience. Social worker Carleton Kendrick says this strategy works well for children in middle school. If children are allowed to experience the consequences of their poor decision-making, they are less likely to repeat problematic behaviors in the future.
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Emphasize the importance of homework. Be direct with younger children by telling them homework is important and smiling and praising them when they do it. Be more subtle with older children by telling them about valuable lessons you learned by doing homework and show them how you use what you learned in school every day.
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Set aside a regular time for children to study. Make this the same time every day. Child psychologist Ruth Peters says that consistency is very important in getting children with a bad attitude to do their homework. Children will develop good habits if parents provide structure.
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Minimize distractions by shutting off television, providing a private space, and giving them the necessary tools. Younger siblings should not be allowed in the same room with your child while he is doing his homework, as this may compete for his attention.
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Become interested in what your child is studying. Ask her to share what she is learning with you and ask questions to build confidence. Your enthusiasm will be catchy and your child will become increasingly motivated to complete homework.
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References
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