How can I help my child with his homework?
By Yu Linda Song, Ed.M

“I can’t do it, it’s too hard!”
“I need help!”
“I’ll do it later…10 more minutes puleezze!”
“Oops! I left my homework at school.”

The sounds of children complaining about homework and the sighs of frustrated parents echo in many homes. Whether the problems involve lost homework, difficult homework, homework assignments left at school or a child who just is not motivated to do her homework, don’t let homework be a source of stress and disrupt harmony during your evenings. Here are some tips to help make your child’s homework experience less hectic.

First, find out what your child’s teacher expects regarding homework. Knowing the teacher’s expectations will help determine your role in helping your child complete his homework. Are there certain types of assignments that you should help with?  Does your child’s teacher want you to sign your child’s homework to show that you’ve reviewed his work?  How much homework will the teacher assign?  What are the consequences for not handing in homework on time?

Set up a study area with your child. It’s never too early or too late to encourage independence and good study habits. Consider working with your child to set up a study area. If you have more than one child, this can be a group effort. This experience may empower your child and get her excited about her homework!  Let your child know that the chosen area should be where she goes to do her homework.

Your child may have to do homework at daycare or at an after school center. If this is the case, speak with your child’s care provider and express your desire to develop a system and quiet place for homework completion.

Here are some ideas for your child’s workspace:

• Have your child choose a quiet place free from distractions. It could be a quiet corner of the kitchen, in her room or at the dining room table.
• The area should include a desk or other flat surface and a comfortable chair.
• Avoid the interruptions that result when a child needs to search materials by brainstorming and gathering all the necessary supplies such as pencils, erasers, a dictionary and crayons.
• Make a “Do Not Disturb” sign to display as your child does his homework.

Establish a routine. Now that your child has a snazzy workplace, talk with your child about your expectations surrounding homework completion.

• Set up a homework schedule and encourage your child to stick to it. Keep in mind that most children cannot work on the same task for longer than 15-20 minutes. Build in at least one 5-10 minute break.
• If your child is really unmotivated, consider working out a system of rewards and consequences. For example, if your child knows that he will not be allowed to watch television in the evening if he doesn’t get his work done by dinnertime, it may motivate him to get moving.
• You may want to preview your child’s assignments with him. Ask specific questions about what he learned at school such as, what did you do during your math lesson?  Previewing and asking questions will help your child recall the day’s lessons and perhaps make his assignments more relevant to him.
• Let your child know you are available to help at certain intervals only. Encourage your child to reread the question a couple of times before he runs to you for help, or skip to the next question and save questions until later.
• Encourage your child to put all supplies away and to put his homework back in his backpack where it will be ready for him to bring to school the next day.

In the beginning, you may need to focus on small improvements. Praise your child’s effort so that he learns the importance of trying hard. Your active encouragement and support may make homework a less cumbersome task. Try not to give up easily if your child puts up a fight about these new routines, keep encouraging him, restate your expectations and talk about what has worked and what hasn’t.

Yu Linda Song holds an Ed.M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a former elementary school teacher and currently works as a project manager for School Wise Press, a small educational publishing company specializing in school profiles and report cards. Ms. Song also trains volunteer tutors for Oakland Unified School District.