Nobody ever said that being a parent would be easy. It’s a job that comes with plenty of challenges.
They say you have to choose your battles. That might be true, and some days there seem to be a million battles to choose from. These including staying up late, eating healthy, picking their friends, and even how to get them to do homework
Yes, doing homework can indeed be a major battle between parent and child. And yet it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we take a look at how to get kids to do homework without resorting to raising voices or breaking things.
Keep reading to learn some tips that will help to keep the peace in your home.
Set a Specific Homework Time
Creating a structured schedule at home is one of the best things you can do for your child. This way there is no confusion and they know what to expect each and every day.
This includes establishing a specific time for doing homework. This period of time each day should be set in stone with no negotiating. When you are firm, and they know exactly what is expected of them, you’ll be surprised at how easily they comply with the rules.
Minimize Distractions
We live in an age of constant distraction. From mobile devices, to video games, and an endless supply of entertainment options, getting a kid to focus can feel seemingly impossible.
This makes it increasingly important to eliminate distractions in your home in order to create an effective study environment.
Many kids now use computers for their homework, but you’d be wise to limit their online access. After all, the web is one of the biggest distractions ever created. Your kids won’t appreciate being cut off from the outside world for a couple of hours each evening, but it’s the only way to help them concentrate on their studies.
Learn to Be a Good Motivator
Learning how to motivate your kids is a good skill to have.
When your kids come home from school, they’ll be ready to chill out and have fun after being stuck in a classroom all day. So it’s a good idea to give them some time in the afternoon to relax and stretch their legs before diving back into their books.
When they protest and complain about studying, we encourage you to resist the impulse to engage in conflict or yell at them. This behavior is ultimately unproductive and will only to serve to make things worse.
Try to remember that you want your kids to enjoy the process of learning. This will make their education much more pleasant for everyone involved. So be a good a motivator and you’ll be surprised at how well they respond.
Praise Their Effort
Everyone wants encouragement. Many kids become restless having to sit and focus for very long when they’d rather be doing something fun. So make it a point to praise and reward their effort. Perhaps reward them with game time after their homework session. This gives them something to look forward to.
Get to Know Their Teachers
It’s always a good idea to develop a relationship with your kid’s teachers. Talking to their teachers on a regular basis will help you to know how your kids are doing in class, the areas where they struggle, and what you can do to contribute to the process.
Create a Homework-Friendly Environment
This is another important facet of the learning process. Kids need a clean, quiet area where they can focus on homework with distractions.
It’s best to make sure they can study at the same spot each day. Perhaps they have a desk in their bedroom room, a desk in a common area of the house, or perhaps you prefer to have them study at the kitchen table where you can keep an eye on them and offer help when they have questions.
The key is to eliminate noise and chaos as much as possible and to provide room for them to spread out with their books and other study materials.
Set a Good Example
It’s hard to overstate the value of setting a good example for your kids. This applies to many areas of life, including taking care of daily household responsibilities while your kids focus on homework.
After all, it really wouldn’t be fair for you to sit in front of the TV while your child tries to study. This type of behavior is not only distracting, it’s just plain rude.
This would be the ideal time to take care of household chores or work on preparing dinner.
Be Willing to Help
Always be willing to answer questions and help in any other way necessary. Because when it comes to education, you are your child’s greatest asset.
You might be exhausted after a long day at work, and have lots of stressful things on your mind, but being present for your child and prepared to engage in their study process will give them confidence and help them understand that they aren’t alone.
If you’re looking for a resource to improve study habits, take a look at this great guide to cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
Let Them Deal with the Consequences
This can be challenging for many parents. But you must resist the impulse to do the work for them when they fall behind. Your child needs to face the consequences when they fail to complete their work. Yes, you should offer help, but there are definitely limits to how much you should be willing to contribute.
Important Tips for Doing Homework
It’s no secret that doing homework is an important part of education. After all, the school day is limited. Teachers do what they can in the classroom, but education must continue at home.
These tips will help in making the homework process as effective as possible. We encourage you to be patient with your kids, contribute in any way you can, and make homework a top priority.
Please check out our blog to see more great study resources.
