It’s that time of year again. Back to school, which means back to homework. You might be parent to one of those rare children who promptly pulls their homework from their backpack as soon as they get home from school. But probably not. You’re likely parent to a child who would really rather do anything but homework. If so, you might be looking for ideas to keep your sanity while keeping your child’s teacher happy … and of course, keeping your child learning what he needs to learn.
Here are a few tips on motivating your child to do homework.
- Maintain a Schedule
Everyone – kids included – needs a little downtime, especially after a long day. So, allow your child some time to decompress from the school day before expecting her to buckle down to more schoolwork. To keep the entire afternoon and evening from getting away from you, however, create a schedule. You can have a specific time each day (i.e. 5:00 – 6:00 pm) for homework, or simply give her a length of time (one hour, ninety minutes, etc.) during which she focuses entirely on homework. (No TV on in the background during that time.)
- Make a Devoted Homework Space
Some children get distracted more easily than others, and that’s okay. It’s just the way their mind works. In any case, it would be a great idea to create a space in your home for homework, and only homework. You might only be able to spare a single spot on the dining room table. If so, make sure everything in that proximity is cleared of clutter during homework time. If at all possible, however, try to create a space that is conducive to thought and focus – preferably out of the way of the main hustle and bustle of home life.
- Create a Homework Chart
Some kids, like some adults, get a great feeling of accomplishment when they tick an item off a checklist. You can create a simple chart with homework subjects and days of the week and let them put a checkmark over each subject completed for that day. For younger children, you might let them add a sticker instead of a checkmark. Then, at the end of the week (or a two- or three-week period) if they have all those boxes ticked, you can provide a simple reward.
Final Thoughts
These might seem like simple ideas but be assured that even small changes can make a huge difference in helping your child surmount the challenge of homework. Above all, when you incorporate little efforts to motivate your child, she will know you are doing what you can to make a positive difference. And that can make all the difference!
Your Dill Team Blogger – Bonita Jewel
