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How to Get Your Child to Do His Homework

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by Dr. Noel Swanson

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Don't expect your child to be enthusiastic about his homework; you weren't either, when it was your turn. No child likes the idea of sitting down and doing class assignments at home, when he has had enough of them in school. It's not surprising then that many children put up some kind of a fuss - ranging from gentle grumbling, to outright refusal.

While the parents and teachers are farsighted and insist on studying, you cannot expect such wisdom from a small child who lives in the moment and wants to make the best of it by having fun. Moreover, if the child finds the work difficult, then the whole exercise becomes all the more demoralizing and discouraging. No wonder, children would prefer to do anything other than homework.

So, if homework is to be done, you are going to need to set things up in a way that, to the child's way of thinking, outbalances all the negatives. You may never get to the point where she says, "Oh, goody! More homework to do! I can't wait!", but you may, at least, get to, "Well, I guess I had better get this homework done and out of the way."

Here are some suggestions to make homework slightly more interesting:

1. Homework is not something your child loves doing. You need to inspire him to do it. So, shouting and screaming and losing your temper is not going to help. Try and create an atmosphere where your child is encouraged to study. Make it sound interesting by innovative ways. Turn it into a sort of game or at least create the perception that it is fun, so that your child gets involved in it.

2. If your child finds it difficult to complete the daily assignments given, check with the school about how much homework is expected and how long it should take. In case of genuine difficulty, consult the teacher and follow the instructions. As a rule your child should not be spending more than an hour on homework. More than that would be drudgery and difficult to do after a full day at school.

3. If you can create a place that is conducive to working, it will help to make a routine. In any case, it is not easy to get homework done if you have to do it on your lap while everyone else is watching TV. Ideally you should have a study table in the child's room where he can sit comfortably and concentrate on his work. But, if that is not possible, you can clear a space on the kitchen table by removing all distractions and interruptions.

4. Provide help and support. Don't do it for them, but do help them to get started, or to find the books they need. If they need to do some research on the internet, maybe sit with them and help them find the info they need. Answer their spelling questions (unless it is a spelling test!) If they are having problems with math, work through the problem with them. Above all, though, stay calm! Getting frustrated with the inability to solve obviously simple questions won't help!

5. Be generous in appreciating every single achievement no matter how small it is. First focus on getting the homework done, then start to focus on quality. Let that be the teacher's responsibility; you remain confined to the homework only. Your efforts should be directed towards inculcating diligence and persistence. However, you can ask your child to read his work out loud so as to catch obvious mistakes and correct them.

6. It is a good idea to set up a reward chart and give extra privileges, such as TV, or family treats for completion of homework on time. Later, you may add incentives for higher grades as well.

7. All children are not good at all subjects. Your child may have a problem with a particular subject. Then, you need to talk to the teacher concerned and work in tandem with her. Let the teacher tell you how much of your help is required and provide it. Once your child crosses the hurdle, it will turn into a successful experience for him.

8. You can help your child break up long-term projects into smaller units so that he feels encouraged after completing each unit. This will help him learn to organize and plan ahead.

9. If you have a busy routine and you cannot spare that much time for your child's homework, look for some sort of a homework club. Many schools offer a facility for supervised homework. Most children prefer doing their homework in the company of their friends and under the guidance of the teacher. After all, they are the only ones put through this at home while the others seem to be enjoying other activities.

10. Above all, focus on helping your child to experience success. Failure breeds discouragement which leads to giving up. Success, on the other hand, is motivating and encourages more attempts. Do whatever you can to make the homework experience a success - either in itself, or by means of the rewards that it earns.

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About the Author

Dr. Noel Swanson's website provides free expert parenting tips & advice - just sign up for his newsletter and get a free chapter of his book, The GOOD CHILD Guide. You can also meet with other parents on a parenting forum.

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Webmaster Notes

Thank you for letting me publish this article, Mark!

Mark makes some excellent points about children and homework habits. I thought this would be a great article to share with parents!

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