Getting Homework Done Without A Fight

Homework overload, if it is only on occasion, is not usually a problem because you can just take it in stride. Where homework overload starts to become a problem is if it happens every night because your children are burned out on homework and then do not want to complete it. Another problem that can cause kids to fight doing their homework is if they have a hard time understanding some or all of the homework assignments. All of these problems lead to a stressed out child who is going to fight you tooth and nail when it comes to doing their homework. If you have a child who suffers from homework overload or who fights you about doing homework you are going to need to step in. In stepping in you will want to figure out what the problem is and what you can do to solve that problem.

Here are some tips that you can follow to help your child get homework done without a fight.

Tip one:

For some kids just dealing with the school day or even the trip home can prove to be stressful. To help your child get over this stressed feeling give them a short break when they first get home; do not make them start homework as soon as they walk in the door. The break should be a short amount of time and be the same length everyday. Included in the break should be a nutritious snack and the chance to participate in an activity that they enjoy. The break can be any length, but it should end before dinnertime. Most parents start with a one-hour break and make adjustments from there.

Tip two:

Draw up a set schedule that your child can follow each day. The schedule should include times for chores, homework, and free time. Keep in mind that the times do not need to be the same everyday. For example, if your child has a favorite show that comes on Wednesday night you can switch free time to the evening and chore time to the afternoon. Drawing up a schedule is a good idea because it helps kids learn to manage their time. Not to mention that giving kids some flexibility in their schedule gives them a small amount of control over a small part of their lives, which can increase their confidence and helps them to develop responsibilities.

Tip three:

Help your child organize their homework area. Where they are going to be doing homework is going to depend on how they work best. For example, some kids will do better in a private area, where others will need supervision and someone close by to help with hard assignments. When setting up their homework area you should be prepared to try out a variety of combinations of settings and backgrounds until you find what works best for your child; this will include background noise or no background noise. In organizing their homework area you want to make sure that they have all of the supplies that they will need to do their homework everyday; you might have to get other supplies as the need arises.

Tip four:

Some kids get frustrated with homework because they do not understand the material well enough to complete the assignments, nor do they understand enough of it to ask questions about what they are supposed to be doing. If this is the case, you can talk to your child’s teacher about having them work for an appropriate amount of time on the assignment. After the time is up give them an additional five to ten minutes on the assignment. If they finish it, that is great; if not, have them use the time to write questions about the assignment so they can better understand what they are supposed to be doing. You can ask the teacher to accept the incomplete assignment with the questions as a complete assignment; most teachers will agree to work something out because they want your child to learn.