School is back, and homework drama is back with it. Many mums find it very challenging to help their kids in doing homework. They even consider that how her kids do their homework is an evaluation for her parenting style. Which is not completely true. So, if you are struggling with helping your kids doing homework, this article is for you.
How to help kids in doing homework?
First of all, it is very common for mums and kids to struggle while doing homework. It might turn into a fight between one point of view and another. Naturally, when this happens there’ll be plenty of stress which might distract the both of you from the main thing. Which is doing homework.
You must keep in mind that what matters the most is your bond with your kids. If this bond is negatively affected by this, then you must reassess. Remember, parenting is a very long journey. So, you do not want to have a fall out with your children over this. Therefore, we recommend you always keep an open mind and have a long-term plan. This starts with understanding how to deal with homework struggles smoothly. Which includes keeping in mind all considerations evenly. Do not keep completing homework as a priority. But keep your child’s trust and calmness in order to be able to complete his or her homework.
Remember, doing homework is your child’s responsibility.
Many mums find it easier to just do their kids’ homework by themselves. They find it faster and less frustrating. But that is not your responsibility, nor is it good parenting. Students are responsible for their homework and schoolwork. All you need to do is encourage them and prepare an environment fit for doing homework. In addition, mums should use reinforcements and conversations. For example, explain to your kids what will happen if they do not do their homework. Tell them how it will negatively affect their school performance. Most importantly, avoid intimidating them into doing their homework. Because that is only a short-term solution.
Tips on helping kids do their homework
1| Prepare a proper environment.
Having a designated study room or area for doing homework is very important. You must make sure this area is away from all distractions. Also, make sure it has all your kids need so they won’t have to be going back and forth constantly.
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2| Stick to a routine.
Having a stable and constant routine for doing homework makes things easier. It will also help you avoid stalling discussions.
3| Let them do the planning.
Let your kids plan by themselves how to do their homework. Like which courses to start with.
4| Keep yourself calm.
Your emotions are easily transferred to your kids. If you are nervous during homework time, your kids will feel it and mirror it. Therefore, make sure you are calm, relaxed, and patient. This will help you avoid turning homework time into a war.
5| Relate homework to life.
Sometimes kids wonder why learning a certain something is important. It might fall on you to explain that. For example, explain that learning math and writing will help them in the future as they grow up.
6| Use positive reinforcements.
Some children might want extra screen time. While others want to go out or hang out with friends. Use those reinforcements as encouragement tools for them to do their homework.
7| Understand their preferred style.
There are plenty of educational styles. Such as visual, auditory, logical, or physical. Understand which style works best with your kids. This will help you save a lot of time and effort.
8| Teach them to understand their tasks.
Always motivate your children to understand their tasks from their teachers directly. This will help them save time rather than wasting it on something unnecessary.
9| Have a break or two.
Plan homework time to have a break or two. Little minds will need rest, you must provide it. You can plan those breaks every 30 minutes. Or a break between each school course.
10| Praise their efforts.
Praising kids is very important to keep them going forward. But make sure to praise when it is truly earnt.
Help might differ depending on your child’s personality
When you help your kids do their homework, you must keep in mind their own personalities. Because that plays a big role in how you help them.
Is your child always delaying doing homework?
Children who tend to delay doing homework have little ability to align the required time and effort. They will always prefer doing something else, usually more entertaining to them. Also, those kids tend to always miss deadlines or barely make them.
If your child is like that, then you must help him or her plan realistically. The plans must be very specific day by day. In addition, you might need to be more strict than usual in order for them to get their work done.
Perfectionist kids
Such kids are always stressed out and afraid their work is not good enough. Which might lead them to draw back academically. In such cases, the best thing mums can do is focusing on the efforts rather than the outcome. Help them do their best and reassure them that it is good enough. Moreover, make sure they do not spend too much time on one task. As that will consume their energy to complete all of their homework.
Hasty children
Some kids do not understand the importance of homework. They feel like it is a waste of time, so they just do it with zero dedication. The best advice we can give you here is going over their work. Point out any mistakes, help them understand why they are so, and urge them to redo it. With time, they will become less hasty because they would not want to redo their homework and take up more of their time.
Is your kid unconvinced?
Some kids are more devoted to one course than another. That is because they are unconvinced the other course is as important. That is why relating school courses to real life is important. Explaining where and when they will need a piece of information will encourage them to learn about it. If they were still unconvinced, explain that there is no way around it. And that they will have to do it regardless.
Forgetful children
Some kids are simply forgetful. They forget the assigned tasks and homework. Therefore, you must plan with them and have all their tasks written down. Use a checklist to make sure they do all of their work and forget nothing. Start by doing this checklist together for a while. Then teach them to rely on themselves. That will teach them to always plan, which will make them more dependent.
