Understand the benefits of homework. If you're not convinced that homework matters, it will be even harder to convince your kids. There are some good reasons behind a moderate amount of homework:
- Homework reinforces learning taught during the day. Some learning won't stick as well unless kids give it more practice and the classroom environment isn't necessarily going to provide adequate time for more practice. This is of special importance for math and critical thinking skills.[1]
- Sometimes homework teaches additional skills not taught at school due to lack of time or resources. This is a "broadening" learning effect of homework.[2]
- Homework instills self-discipline, teaching time management, organizational skills, concentration skills, and self-responsibility.[3] Self-discipline is a key life skill that can only be learned in the doing.
Make peace with the reality that most kids don't like doing homework.
When there are many other infinitely more interesting things happening, especially in our electronic gadget age, it's hard to make homework appealing, so stop trying. As a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for getting kids to do homework, acceptance isn't about agreement with them. It's about understanding and infusing the rest of your approach with that understanding, while remaining prepared to
set the boundaries
and stand by your expectations that they will do it.
Be a facilitator rather than a force to be reckoned with. You can cajole, plead, yell, threaten, bribe, and jump up and down with your face turning blue but none of this negative and mutually exhausting behavior will make your kids do anything. Sure, they'll respond to immediate threats of withdrawing privileges and you standing over them until it's done, but this will not turn into reformed homework behavior, and who has time to stand over them instead of getting other tasks done? Instead, aim to facilitate the homework process as much as possible:
Provide a distinct, comfortable, well-lit, quiet, and non-distracting place for the homework to be completed.[4] Somewhere away from electronic items, pedestrian traffic, and other kids playing is ideal.
Ensure that your child has everything needed to do homework, from pens and paper, to a laptop and books, and be sure to get special project materials in advance, to avoid the excuse of "I don't have what I need".[5] Take a moment to sit down with them when they start homework to see what else they might need, including bookmarking quality kids' information websites they can use as part of their homework research tools, such as the US Kids.gov site,[6] and an online dictionary.
Invite or encourage your child to keep you informed about homework progress and any interesting facts that arise out of it.
Provide a distinct, comfortable, well-lit, quiet, and non-distracting place for the homework to be completed.[4] Somewhere away from electronic items, pedestrian traffic, and other kids playing is ideal.
Ensure that your child has everything needed to do homework, from pens and paper, to a laptop and books, and be sure to get special project materials in advance, to avoid the excuse of "I don't have what I need".[5] Take a moment to sit down with them when they start homework to see what else they might need, including bookmarking quality kids' information websites they can use as part of their homework research tools, such as the US Kids.gov site,[6] and an online dictionary.
Invite or encourage your child to keep you informed about homework progress and any interesting facts that arise out of it.
