Trouble getting your child student enthusiastic about doing their homework? Here are a few things that might help in the process. These are the top 10 best homework tips for people having trouble getting their child to gain some healthy habits and do homework at the same time.
Tip Number One
Determine big homework issues that you are facing when trying to sit down and complete assignments with your child. Is the homework taking too long to complete? Are you having trouble getting started with the homework or keeping track of the day is work, and making sure your child is turning it into the teacher? Is it frustrating feeling as though the homework actually belongs to you and not your child? Step one is to make a list of these things and write try to do our homework down on paper. This way, we can begin to solve each problem, one at a time.
Sit down with your student and review the list. Open the conversation by saying something like “I’m concerned about the way homework is being done every night. I think there is a way we can help each other out and get to the bottom of our problem.” Share your list with your student and be open to their feedback. After all, it is their homework and not yours.
Tip Number Two
Focus on each problem one by one and develop solutions with the help of your child in a question and answer type of forum. The ultimate goal is to create a homework contract from each point on the list. For example, if your student is having trouble starting their homework at a certain time, include in the contract an agreement that your child will start homework at a specific hour of the day. It is important to remember to keep this contract, clean and easy. We recommend no more than five or six rules on the contract.
Tip Number Three
Reward your children for good homework behavior. If you notice a change in your child’s homework habits, there is nothing wrong with a little incentive to keep promoting a healthy academic lifestyle. A great way to apply this is by offering your student immediate and future incentives. For example, turning and all homework assignments for a given week will grant extra free time at the end of the evening, and great grades at the end of the semester will be rewarded by a trip to their favorite restaurant. Be creative!
Tip Number Four
Create a homework workstation that is used primarily for your student’s homework and contains all of the supplies and materials needed to complete homework projects. There should be no excuses for not being able to complete homework because the tools or supplies are unavailable to your student. Your child should also recognize that when they sit down at the home workstation it is for homework only in that they will be at the station until all the homework is complete
Tip Number Five
Organize your child’s academic life. Take the time to clean out your student’s folders, backpacks, binders and homework area to create a fresh and clean work environment. This is a Feng Shui type method that will boost your child’s desire to learn.
Tip Number Six
Get to know your child’s teachers. Take advantage of back-to-school nights and other after-school meetings with your child’s teachers. Though it is hard to accept these educators may have a little more insight into your child’s academic status than you or your spouse you must keep in mind that they might be spending more time with your child than you.
Tip Number Seven
Create an environment at home that promotes learning. If your home is cluttered loud, noisy if the television is always on the more loud radio is always blasting then you can imagine then it may not be the best environment for your child to study in. Take the time to clear your home of distractions that might deter your child’s evening homework time.
Tip Number Eight
Don’t be a vulture or think that you are helping your child by completing their assignments for them. They can be nerve-racking to children and even adults. When someone is sitting next to them, or looking over their shoulder while trying to complete homework or career assignments it creates an anxious and uncomfortable environment!
Tip Number Nine
Sleep is critical. Assign a bedtime for your children every night and most importantly, enforce it. The amount of sleep and rest a child gets during the evening will dictate how they feel for school the following day. Simply put, a child who is tired or deprived of proper sleep can in turn not learn as effectively as one who may have had a good night’s rest.
Tip Number Ten
Always remember that these are your children, and you are the boss. Don’t let your child dictate how they choose to do homework each night, because eight times out of 10, you will end up with a math book in front of the television, and that is simply not an effective situation.
Please remember these suggestions and tips are just that. Nothing can compare to real-life examples and experience, so set a good one for your child, and they will succeed. Stay in close communication with teachers and other parents to learn new and exciting methods on how to excite your child about their academic career and homework.