Now that school is back in session, homework is guaranteed to start heading your child’s way. While teachers may begin with reviews and recaps to brush up on things their class learned last year, the more difficult assignments will begin quickly.
It’s natural to want to help if you sense your child is running into some struggles with their homework assignments. At the same time, you don’t want to hinder their learning by having too much parental involvement. So where’s the middle ground? If you’re not sure on how to effectively help your child with school work, projects, and homework, we’ll provide a few of the best ways in doing so in our list below.
Just like getting your child back to school ready, it’s extremely helpful for your to get your child back into the swing of things with a set homework routine. So what exactly goes into a homework routine? It actually helps to let kids have a snack or simply unwind for about half an hour before jumping into homework. Coming straight from school and doing homework right away might overwhelm them, so give them a few minutes to settle down. After their break, have them pick a quiet area with no distractions so they can work successfully.
While it’s important for parents to help set the rules of their homework routine, it’s equally important for children to have a bit of freedom when it comes to completing homework. If kids feel they have no say when it comes to how and when they get their homework done, they’ll easily start to resent homework time. Let them pick what they’d like to start with, as well as finish with. Having some autonomy and independence when it comes to their schoolwork will help them be confident as happy students, which leads to better grades overall.
For younger kids, it’s likely very helpful to sit with them as they do homework– it helps make sure they stay on track and you’re there to answer any questions they have. As kids get older, they’ll need less help. For those around 9 and older, you don’t need to be in the room as they do homework. This helps them think about the problems themselves and try to figure it out on their own before turning to a parent for help if needed. You ultimately want independent students who can figure out homework on their own. They can’t do that if you hover.
If you’re just not familiar with a subject your child is learning, or if they’ve been stuck on a certain lesson plan or theme for weeks on end and nothing seems to help them understand, it may be time for some outside help. Look into profession tutoring, either at your child’s school, or through a local organization. It’ll be worth it to make sure their grades are kept up all year.