Hasslefree Homework
You are your child’s first and best teacher. Experiences you provide everyday will make the transition back to school a smoother one. Homework should be a time to reinforce learning not a time to power struggle with your child. A hasslefree homework period is yours if you’re proactive.
Here are some tips for making this time of your day and your child’s, a more positive one. Keep in mind, the more your child is involved, the more success you’ll have. You can do a lot to facilitate learning and make school success certain.
-Set up a homework drawer or cabinet with all the possible supplies your child will need.
-Away from homework time, talk to your child about how the daily routine will look.
-Build in a short break after school. Beware of a more than thirty minute break; it will only make getting back into school mode harder.
-Help your child order the homework from hardest to easiest. Then, when your child gets tired, all that’s left are the easier assignments.
-Build in snack and exercise breaks between homework and studying. Make certain your child knows exactly what time they are. This will limit the use of breaks as distractions.
-Keep your child close. The further away your child goes to complete homework, the more likely he will get distracted.
-Create non-verbal cues for getting back on track. Whether you tap the page, point to the seat or walk your child back to the table, whatever you do, don’t make homework a verbal battle.
-If conflict arises, take your child to a neutral location, talk about how she can refocus and then help her start again. If difficulty continues pack the work up and write a note to the teacher.
-Don’t punish your child. Failure to complete homework means something about the task, the environment or his ability to do it needs to be relooked at.
-After the homework period is completed, let your child engage in an activity of her choice. Let her know once the work is done, or at least back in the bag, downtime begins.
-Later in the evening or the next morning, tell your child what went well during homework time and offer him one thing to work harder on. Whether it’s remaining focused or taking less breaks, your child needs feedback on what he still needs to do to be more successful.
-Connect with your child’s teacher early in the school year. A strong parent/teacher connection will help both of you help your child.
Keep in mind, all behavior tells a story. If your child is digging in and fighting hard about homework, chances are the work is either too hard, taking too long or the timing for completing just isn’t right.
Perhaps it’s time to choose a time that works better for your child or talk to the teacher about modifying expectations. All children need guidance to do their best with homework. I’m not suggesting you do the work for your child, just don’t fall for the myth that children should be doing all their work independently. With a proactive approach to homework you and your child will find it goes more smoothly.
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