Parents, whether you are face with this challenge now, or are expecting it in the near future, one way or another you will have to deal with the dreaded homework! This can be a real challenge if your child wants nothing to do with it, so what can we do to help alleviate this problem, and maybe even flip the table to where your children enjoy homework? Well maybe not that far, but we can help a little.
For this we have compiled a list of what you can do to create an effective and consistent homework routine, allowing you and your child to hopefully come to an agreement over study time!
Consistency is key (same time each day)
To kick things of we have simple yet commonly overlooked tip, time. Making sure when you child get home from school, that they complete their day’s worth of homework at the same time each day. This doesn’t need to be as soon as they get home, or directly before they go to bed, it should be between you and your child to find the time that best suit them and when they are willing to put that time aside, but you need to ensure that the time doesn’t change or I skipped entirely!
Designated homework space
Creating a designated homework space is great idea as it allows kids to associate that area with work, so when they are their they understand they need to get whatever it is they are working towards done.
This space should be quiet, well-lit and comfortable to ensure that the best possible conditions for relaxing while they work are met. This will help limit distractions which are a key part in destroying the productivity of homework time.
Take away distractions
Depending on how old your child is, the phone/tablet is the bane of all productivity! So ensuring that they are willing to put it aside for however long the time set aside is, is crucial to ensure that they are productive and learning instead of simply autopiloting or not doing the work at all.
However this is not the only distraction which could tempt your child into not doing their homework. For this you as the parent will need to understand what pulls their attention away commonly from whatever they are doing, that might be sports, a book, the TV etc, so ensuring that a healthy amount of time away is seen as a positive not something detrimental in your child’s eyes.
Set realistic expectations
As a parent it is easy to expect your child to complete all the homework they have straight away. This can have a negative impact on how your child views homework, as if they are unable to complete it in that time they may feel deflated, which might cause them to lose confidence.
Instead understanding how much homework they have and when it is due in, will allow you to discuss realistic goals with your child and set small bite sized deadlines which they will be able to complete, this will help build a sense of accomplishment and make homework time feel rewarding!
Be willing and open to help
Sometimes, simply being willing to help can encourage your child to work extra hard. Some work better when they can talk about the problem they are trying to solve, so even if you are not directly helping complete their homework your openness can allow them to feel confident in their ability while completing their homework.
In other instances your child will need help, and it is your duty to assure them that its ok to be stuck from time to time, and that asking for help is not a bad thing. Then working through the problem together should allow them to voice their concerns and explain why they are stuck, by working through a task this way they won’t feel disheartened that they couldn’t complete it alone.
Encourage breaks
Taking breaks is way more important than most people think, they have been given a bad wrap as people thinks its just a way to get out of doing more work, but it couldn’t be further from the truth (well most of the time). So what makes them so important?
Taking breaks during homework allows your child’s brain to rest, this can help energise them and boost their mood. This will help them ‘wake up’ both physically and mentally, even helping improve their concentration when they go back to studying!
So parents, its your call how you would like to implement breaks, but just know they are needed to help your little one get homework done well!
Be a role model
Early on, young kids will often mimic, or reflect their parent’s behaviour towards things. Learning is no different, so if you show a positive attitude towards learning and reading, your little one is likely to follow suit.
This point goes hand-in-hand with our final point as offering praise and rewards for learning helps in being that good role model for your children.
Offer praise and encouragement
Finally, studying/homework can be tedious and boring, so imagine how your kids might view it from time to time. So, offering good incentives to try their hardest is never a bad idea, make their effort feel worth it and give them something to look forward to.
But make sure they have the sense of earning it, as rewarding can sometimes be challenging if your do it all the time. It might become an expectation, losing the original meaning of trying hard and feeling like they truly earnt what they are given.
Homework and study can be hard for your young one, so patience is key. We hope this blog gave you some good ideas to make the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Do you have any tips you want to share with us surrounding homework? let us know below!