- Beware: don't belittle or name-call a child who's having trouble with homework. Calling them stupid will become a self fulfilling prophecy and discourage them from even trying. If they get more trouble from trying to get it done than they would ignoring it completely, they'll never do it. All you'll do is break their trust in you.
- Beware: rewarding and praising your child to do their homework is different then bribing your child into doing their homework. Never bribe a child into doing their homework, or they'll always want the bribe.
- Turn off the TV when it is within hearing distance of a child doing homework. If there are other members of the family watching TV, shift the TV to a place where it cannot be heard.
- Don't try to motivate them with threats and fear. You might eventually succeed in terrorizing them enough to get immediate obedience but you'll drive them away so deep that you break their trust.
- Don’t meddle. Be available to answer questions or help with problems, but don’t make homework time even more painful for your kids by hovering over them, judging everything they do.
- Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration. Let your child take a short break if they are having trouble keeping their mind on an assignment.
- Talk to your kids’ teachers if you feel their homework load is unreasonable. In elementary school, ten minutes times the grade number is sufficient; more than 90 minutes for middle schoolers or more than two hours for high school students is excessive.