Helping your child with his/her homework

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Making a child to write the homework is definitely a difficult task. I’ve seen many parents breaking their heads on how to make their kid write its homework. Few children do their homework without anyone’s intervention; however, majority of the children belong to the category of not willing to do the homework on their own.

Today, the world has become more competitive than how it was when we were school children. These days, children have to juggle between music classes, sports coaching and various other extra-curricular activities. Most of these classes consume majority of the time of the children. This is one reason why they don’t feel like doing the homework. Almost, all schools give homework on a daily basis. As a parent, what are the various ways available to you for helping your child with his/her homework? Let us discuss them in detail.

Why do you think teachers provide homework? They provide homework for the child to enhance its knowledge in a particular subject and for the overall development of the child. Many parents themselves don’t understand this and doesn’t like sitting with the child and do the homework. When the child understands that its parents are not interested in doing homework the same feeling is shared by the child also. Parents, please change this attitude for the well-being of your child. Education is a continuous learning process.

When the children know you are going to fight with them for doing the homework, they are not going to give up. They are ready for the fight and see means to avoid doing the homework. Some parents lose temper when their child is not doing the homework and at one point of time will say, “You need not do your homework.” This is what they are expecting from you and you said the same. In the homework doing struggle, it is you, the parent should win.

Tell me which child doesn’t like playing? Make homework doing a fun experience. Say for example, you are teaching them about the sun. Ask them what they know about sun. Show them pictures of sun, ask them to draw a sun, tell them few facts about sun, etc. This will make homework doing a fun experience.

Give an atmosphere that makes them to learn. If you are watching television and at the same time teaching them, children are surely not going to listen to what you are teaching. You also get bugged up for two reasons; one being unable to watch your favorite program peacefully and the other for the child not understanding what you are teaching. Switch off televisions, DVD players, etc., when your child is all set to study.

If the child is too small, you can teach them in a place where you will spend most of your time. When they are grown a little, it is better to give them a separate reading room. Give them the responsibility of keeping their room and the study table clean. Don’t tell them when you will come and see the room. Whenever you feel like visiting their room, just visit and see how their room looks like. If it is really neat, appreciate them and if not, tell them why it is important to keep their study place clean rather scolding them. Color the rooms the way they want it and provide ample lighting. 

Provide all the amenities you can give for them to do their homework. Ensure they finish it off and understands why homework is necessary. When they are little grown up, simply support them when they are doing their homework. Do not see if they are doing it the right away or not; meaning, whether a particular work they have done is correct or not. Leave the decision to them. When they ask you whether they have done a particular math problem correctly, check if they have done it properly; ask them how their teacher taught them and if they followed the same procedure. This is the support you should provide them. Never ever do spoon-feeding. It will hamper the decision making skill of the child.

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Don’t give a chance for them to say they don’t have pens or pencils or erasers or rulers and that is why they have not done their homework. Check whether all these essentials are available. A dictionary is a must for older students. If possible, work out a study time discussing with your child. This is highly recommended. They cannot say homework cannot be done as it is they who have set the time. Some days if they are not feeling well or if any other important work is there, you may always adjust to the needs.

The main point to be noted is here not giving your children a chance for saying they cannot do the homework. Learn how to teach your children etiquette the fun way here. All the best!