Tips for Parents to Help Students master Homework
Given homework battles at their core are about a child asserting independence, there are ways parents can make it less contentious.
1. Hard as it may be, give back some control to your child. Give your student options by providing choices. Do you want to work on this on Saturday or on Sunday, or a little of both? Do you want to study before or after dinner? If you’d like to go to the party this weekend, I need to see that project done first. The areas in which you choose to give control truly depends on your child.
2. Let your student know it is her responsibility to tell you the homework plan each day – she reports to you on what’s due when, what she will work on and how much time is required – and what materials. Projects that aren’t due yet should be on the radar early. Having your student tell you the plan avoids you nagging. You can also set it up with consequences if it isn’t working.
3. Help your student learn time management by reviewing the planner together and putting together a work plan and transitioning the task to the student. Also, teach your student how to break a big project into smaller tasks so it doesn’t seem overwhelming or unmanageable.
4. Finally, take some of the burden off of you and move it onto the child. Delegate tasks to your child. Make your child call a friend for a missing homework assignment. Let them bear the consequences of a missed deadline or shoddy job. For most students, it only has to happen once.
Tomorrow – Part 3 – Tips for Students to Improve Study Habits
