Checklist for Helping Your Child With Homework

Checklist for Helping Your Child With Homework

1. Show That You Think Education and Homework Are Important
   • Do you set a regular time every day for homework?
   • Does your child have the papers, books, pencils and other things needed to do assignments?
   • Does your child have a well-lit, fairly quiet place to study?
   • Do you set a good example by showing your child that the skills he is learning are an important part of the things he will do as an adult?
   • Do you stay in touch with your child’s teacher?

2. Monitor Assignments
   • Do you know what your child’s homework assignments are? How long they should take? How the teacher wants you to be involved in them?
   • Do you see that your child starts and completes assignments?
   • Do you read the teacher’s comments on assignments that are returned?
   • Is TV viewing or video game playing cutting into your child’s homework time?

3. Provide Guidance
   • Do you help your child to get organized? Does your child need a schedule or assignment book? A book bag or backpack and a folder for papers?
   • Do you encourage your child to develop good study habits (for example, scheduling enough time for big assignments; making up practice tests)?
   • Do you talk with your child about homework assignments? Does she understand them?

4. Talk with Teachers to Resolve Problems
   • Do you meet with the teacher early in the year before any problems arise?
   • If a problem comes up, do you meet with the teacher?
   • Do you cooperate with the teacher to work out a plan and a schedule to solve homework problems?
   • Do you follow up with the teacher and with your child to make sure the plan is working?

By Barbara J. Feldman

Barbara J. Feldman is a syndicated columnist and the publisher of Surf Net Parents, Surfnetkids.com and 51+ other family-friendly sites. She has been creating websites since 1996, and loves teaching others how to solve WordPress problems.