Helping your child with homework does take effort. But so does being a parent.
If you learn some simple ways to help your child, then this effort can be greatly reduced while maintaining an effective and efficient homework time.
Here are a couple of simple do's and don'ts to help your child with homework from Spirit of Math, an after-school school program in West Richmond: Do: 1. Keep a consistent time and place. The key to getting through homework is having a disciplined approach. Keep the same times each week and the same place each day. It may be that they start ½ an hour after they get home, or after dinner each night. You may want them to do a 5 minute "morning" drill. Look at your own family cycles and include homework in as an important cycle. In addition, have your child do their homework at the kitchen table, or somewhere central to the family. This allows you to watch and help when needed.
2. Start with them, then let them continue on their own. Sit down beside them and do a little bit of the work with them to begin with, or just help them to sort out what they have to complete. After they start working then move away, but stay close enough so that they are in your earshot, and let them continue on their own. This is especially important if they are feeling anxious, overwhelmed or frustrated.
3. Make it easy to learn. Make learning part of living. For example post new words on the fridge, or on the front door.
Don't: 1. Don't just tell your children that you believe in them and they can do it, then leave them alone. Show them that you are interested in what they are doing, and ensure that you know whether or not they are indeed understanding the material and getting it completed. You must first believe in your children and then be ready to take action
yourself.
2. Don't get frustrated with them if they are not understanding the problem - you may be frustrated inside, however, you can't show it. Kids will interpret this as "he/she thinks I'm stupid".
3. Don't just ask your child if their homework is done and accept their "yes" answer. Ask to see their work. This shows that you are sincerely interested in what they are doing and in how well they are doing. If you don't check then your child will figure out very quickly that you won't be checking. Many kids perceive this as a "good thing", because they can get away without doing their work.
