11 Ways To Help Kids Develop Good Homework Habits
Back to school is always an exciting time, but now that the school year is well underway, some families may find that they are challenged by strategies around kids’ schedules and dealing with homework. Here are some practical suggestions to help parents and their children to address homework issues:
- Ensure your child has a break after school. Don’t push them to do their homework the minute they get in the door.
- As soon as your child comes home from school, ask “Do you have any homework?” Then you can plan your evening and there are no surprises at bed-time.
- Be present and available when your children are doing their homework. Ideally, try working alongside your child when they are doing their work – whether it’s doing household chores or personal work.
- Minimize noise and distractions. Avoid watching TV while your child is doing school work.
- Limit the amount of television watched on school nights.
- Do the easy stuff first. When tackling a number of homework items, it can be more gratifying for children to do the homework that can be done quickly, giving them an immediate sense of accomplishment.
- Limit the number of after school activities.
- Have a visible family calendar to help organize your children’s schedules that includes homework and due dates.
- Discuss school projects with the family. Talk about what they are doing at the dinner table. This helps to show your interest in what your kids are doing, plus it gives them other perspectives and ideas on how to approach the topic.
- Give a lot of positive reinforcement. Display their work. Acknowledge their effort.
- Present a united front around homework. Both parents, whether living together, separated or divorced, need to communicate and share the responsibility of ensuring that their children are doing their homework effectively.
