Homework can be a real chore for students. Parents also note that they spend a lot of time helping their kids with homework. Some students seem to do better than others, but even the best students can get hung up on homework or just burned out from the daily load. We are excited to share with you five tips to help your kids with their homework.
Whether your child struggles regularly with homework or just needs a little help now and then, here are some things you can do to make it easier.
#1 Get It Out of the Way Early
Honestly, no one really wants to come straight home to do more work, but getting it out of the way earlier is best for everyone. If you procrastinate, you’re more likely to forget. If you do homework later in the night, your children will be tired, and it will be more difficult. It’s best to just get homework out of the way as soon as possible. A good suggestion is to make an after-school snack and start homework immediately after that.
#2 Have a Plan
A daily schedule or routine is the most important thing you can do to help your kids with their homework. You should establish this at the end of summer or start of a new school year. This helps them know what is expected of them. Also, you then have a time slot in your own day when you know you need to be available to help them with homework, if needed.
#3 Be Patient
It’s easy to get frustrated if your child is getting frustrated with their homework, but you need to remain in control and stay patient. Take a break, if needed, and everyone can rest and cool off before coming back. Getting upset or frustrated with your child will create more tension surrounding homework.
#4 Know When You Need Help
If you don’t understand the assignment or your child is struggling, no matter what you do to help, it might be time to discuss it with their teacher. Maybe there is a learning delay or disability that is getting in the way. Maybe they need extra tutoring in a specific topic or subject. If you’re really struggling with the homework assignment, you can send a note or email to your child’s teacher for more help.
#5 Don’t Do It For Them
As tempting as it might feel when they are struggling to get it right or slogging through a hefty workload, you shouldn’t do the work for them. Also, don’t be tricked into giving the answers when they ask for help. For older children, you might even leave the room completely and have them try to work through homework on their own first. You can help them talk through tough problems by asking, “What do you think?” or “What is the process for finding the answer?” Avoid just giving them the answers yourself.
We hope that with these five tips to help your kids with their homework, you find that homework time goes a little more smoothly in the future.
Remember to give yourself some grace, too! Parenting is hard. There are some days when I simply forget to do all the mom things. It happens. Start again tomorrow. Remember, you are your child's first teacher and your attitude, encouragement, and the structure you provide make all the difference.
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