Helping your kids succeed in school requires time, effort, and a lot of commitment on both parts. When you’re a parent or teacher, it can be difficult to find the energy and motivation to teach a reluctant student when you’re running out of ideas and creativity. Here are 5 ways to get your kids to help with homework so you can focus on what matters most.
Create a family study time
As you create your own study schedule, think about what homework is most important for your nannusays and for you as a parent. Then create a daily schedule and stick to it. This should help your kids gain momentum in the study. Don’t forget to make that homework area as comfortable and distracting as possible.
Reward on the way
The best way to get your kids to finish their homework is to reward them for their effort. A small snack or a small gift may be just the motivation they need to finish their homework. The key is to find a way that won’t infringe on time or stress you or your child are already experiencing.
Make their room a distraction-free zone
Before homework can even be finished, your kids need to be able to focus on it.
Make homework a collaborative process
Although some students thrive working alone, most children need a partner to learn effectively. Try working with your child on their own homework and then come together for more collaborative tasks.
You can start by having them write a letter, create a model to understand mathematical relationships or color pictures. If your child needs additional assistance, bring their work over to you and have them copy the numbers, word or sentence in your own hand.
Use tactile tools
If your child seems more comfortable using their hands rather than their eyes when completing homework, use an educational tool or activity to work on addition, subtraction or spelling words. Try playing a matching game, using flashcards, sorting objects or making flash cards with multiple categories.
Recognize success with rewards
Rewards are a powerful motivator. Be sure that a reward for helping with homework is something that your child already wants to do, like a specific video or game to watch or some play time to explore an idea. Keep in mind that a reward for homework will not serve as a long-term motivation. So, make it a small but worthwhile token for your child.
Create a strong and positive routine
Every day after your child has dinner, he should do one of the following chores: cleaning up his own toys, getting dressed for school, doing a reading or a math activity with you, or making his bed. Keep in mind that kids will want to deviate from this routine, but before you enforce it, explain to your child why it’s so important to stick with it.
Build routine into your home life
Without an established daily routine in your house, it can be difficult to get your kids to have the self-discipline to spend quality time with you on homework. I once asked a group of parents of teenagers with trouble with homework how they managed to keep their kids engaged. One mother replied that the only way she managed to get her son to work on homework was by making him do it in front of the TV, where he could also catch up on Game of Thrones (GoT) and stay entertained.
When my kids were younger, I had them go through all their homework before they would even be allowed to watch TV. From elementary school to high school, they had to complete a full night’s homework before we even got to put on a show.
Stay consistent and patient.
Rigidity is one of the most difficult hurdles you’ll face as a parent. Your child is stuck in a routine where he knows the boundaries and it’s easy to get frustrated when he fails to comply. But when you stay consistent and patient, you help your child see the importance of a task and you help him succeed. If you stay consistent, you’ll help your nannusays see that school and homework are important. When you maintain patience and motivation, you get more homework do than you know.
Immerse yourself in your child’s subject.
If you want your child to show more interest in school, enroll yourself into the lesson as well. This will help you understand and feel a connection with what you’re teaching and why it’s important. Immerse yourself in your child’s subject as much as possible.
