School has ended for the day. Your child is home and feeling exhausted from a long, and possibly stressful, day at school. Although it is likely that your child would like to do nothing more than toss their backpack in a corner and savor every glorious minute of their evening before bedtime, you must remind them that they have homework to complete. Depending on the child and the home, this may result in some minor grumbling but, ultimately, your child complies and completes their homework. For a very small number of households (and I do mean a very small number) your child may happily go to a designated spot and complete their homework with excitement. However, for many of the families that I work with in my practice, the announcement of homework results in tears of frustration, arguing, and very vocal complaints. At The Parent Child Practice, I often help parents develop action plans for completing homework with their children. In this article, I would like to share three tips for helping your child be more successful during homework time. If you would like more strategies or tips for homework help then please contact The Parent Child Practice at 678-649-1940 to schedule an appointment.
Tip #1 – Use a timer to help get through homework
Parents and children frequently argue about the length of time homework takes. Children in my office have often shared with me that it feels like they have been working on homework for 30 minutes or more when in reality it has only been 3 minutes. Time management and homework is a common battle in most homes and one way to tackle that battle is to use a timer so that everyone can keep track of how much time has passed and when it is time for a break from homework. Using a timer can help improve your child’s internal clock by letting them know how much time has passed and how quickly it is passing. By allowing them to gain a better sense of the passing of time they can feel in control and can better plan for how to “attack” their homework. For children that easily become mentally drained or exhausted during homework completion, you will want to use the timer with designated breaks. For example, you may say, “Complete the first five problems and then take a five-minute break to do something of your choice. Then do the next five problems.” During the break, set the timer for five minutes and make sure the child can see it so they know exactly how much time they have left. You will be surprised how introducing a timer during homework can make the homework process much smoother for many children. An example of a visual timer that can be used for homework completion is Time Timer. These visual timers come as stand-alone timers, magnetic timers, or timers that are attached to white boards that allow a child and parent to check off items on a list as well as use their timer.
Tip #2 – Develop a homework reward system
Homework is a part of the job description for a child and just like anyone that holds a job they expect that there will be some form of “payment” earned for doing a job well and completing the job description as assigned. Children are not being bribed when they receive rewards for doing their “job” well. Instead they are earning their rewards only when they complete the tasks assigned to them. A homework reward system can be established for completing all of the assigned homework or, for older children, completing the homework and recording assignments in their planner. A homework reward system may mean that a child earns 1 or 2 hours of free time if they complete all of their homework assigned or they earn their free time prior to completing homework if they had all assignments recorded in their planner and did not have any missing assignments for the day. If the child does not complete all of their homework as assigned then the consequence may mean that the next day they use some of their possible free time completing the incomplete homework – this would occur even if the teacher does not accept late homework! I recommend parents require the child to make up the homework even if is not accepted as late because we want to teach children about the importance of honoring their responsibilities no matter the outcome.
Tip #3 – Find a place to do homework outside of the home
For some kids, going home is equated with relaxing and unwinding. Therefore, parents face an uphill battle trying to get their kids to keep the “school frame of mind” when they are at home. Additionally, children face more temptation at home and this includes: television; technology; their bed; the couch; neighbors playing outside; the kitchen – you name it and it’s a distractor if it is at home. For those families sometimes the best, although maybe not the most desirable option, is to not go home or to leave home once the school bus has dropped the child off. Many public libraries stay open until 8 pm and I have recommended that parents pack up their bags and a small snack and head to the local public library to complete homework. Chances are parents still have emails to catch up on from work or other tasks to complete and that can be done at the library while everyone is working on their homework. Doing this also allows home to remain a sacred place of relaxation and peace.
Bonus Tip - Talk with a professional
Sometimes parents have tried some of the tips mentioned above and they are still struggling with the homework routine. It is important that parents also consult with professionals if it is warranted. Talking with a professional, such as a psychologist, can help determine whether the academic work is above the child’s academic ability or whether the child is struggling with emotional or behavioral challenges that are interfering with the child’s ability to complete the work as expected. Typically, I recommend that a child complete a psychoeducational evaluation so that we can pinpoint what may be causing that child to struggle during homework time and find an appropriate solution based on their needs. Additionally, some families need assistance developing their plan of action for homework time and parent coaching can be an effective way to further discuss ideas for success with homework completion.
If you would like more information about psychoeducational testing or parent coaching please call 678-649-1940 or visit www.parentchildpractice.com to contact The Parent Child Practice about scheduling an initial appointment.
