As parents, you might be forgiven for thinking that the most difficult part of raising a child was the first few years. Even though that time was fraught with new complications and difficulties, the most difficult part of raising a child still remains the period in which he goes to school.
Education is of paramount importance, as it plays a huge role in how your child develops in the future. Education molds his personality and prepares the child to tackle various problems and stand up to the world around him. Therefore, the importance of education and consequently, homework, cannot be understated- you need to pay a lot of attention to your child’s homework to ensure that he grows up right.
Helping your child with his homework will not only help him understand the topics being taught better but also gives you a chance to bond with your child. A lot of light-hearted moments can result from the time, and you have the chance to get closer to your child. However, you must ensure that you do not do all of the work required of him- the best thing to do is to gradually nudge him and point him in the right direction, and then let him figure it out for himself.
Let us take a look at ten ways in which you can help your child do his homework.
How to Help Your Child with Homework?
You need to ensure that you are not too obvious while helping your child out so that he understands the topics on his own with your guidance.
1. Plan it Out
The moment the new academic year begins, you have to have a plan as to how you will approach studies for your child this year. This applies in the case of homework for kids who are grown up, too. You need to improve upon the benchmarks set by your child in the previous year, so plan carefully. In fact, get the help of your child to plan it out so that he feels committed to the goals as well. Analyse what went wrong the last year, and try to improve upon it.
2. Routines are Gold
You also need to ensure that there exists a routine in the case of doing the homework, right from the first day of school. Implementation of the routine means that the child is involved in what goes on in class each day, and learns whatever is being taught without any backlog. Within a few days of starting this practice, you will find that the routine becomes a part of his life and he has no qualms about doing the homework each day.
3. Give Power to Your Child
In some instances, the parents are in a hurry to finish the homework, so they end up doing most of the work themselves. Being a spectator with no contributions will not help the child in any way. In fact, it becomes counterproductive as they always think that you are there to bail them out. Therefore, ensure that you always put your child in command of the situation. Your child has to try to figure out the answers themselves, and you simple nudge him into the right direction whenever he strays.
4. Correct them Afterwards
Never be impatient when watching your child do his homework. For example, While he is writing an essay, let him complete it before pointing out the mistakes in it. You may notice a lot of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes when he writes it, but refrain from pointing it out while he writes them- interruptions in the process can lead to your child not learning well. You can explain each mistake after they are done so that they do not repeat those the next time over.
5. Set up Space
Your child must have a location within the home to do his homework in- it is equally important as setting a routine. With a safe space, he feels comfortable and can dive headfirst into the homework in front of him. It is imperative that he feels relaxed so that his concentration does not waver from work. You should ensure that your child is undisturbed when he is in this space- noise-cancelling headphones and setting up the table along a wall can also help your child focus well.
6. Choose a Time
This is an important part of setting up a routine, as it can affect the concentration levels of your child too. You need to make your child do his homework at this particular time so as to ensure that it becomes a routine to be followed every day. Choose the time according to both of your preferences- accommodate his wishes while choosing the time, too. Do not make him miss his favourite TV show in order to do his homework, as it can result in disdain and ultimately, lack of focus from the child.
7. Include Breaks
While you set up the homework time for your child, be sure to include a few breaks in between. Contrary to the popular misconception among parents, breaks do not reduce the productivity of their child- they improve it. Your child gets a few minutes to replenish his energy levels and is able to attack the problems in front of him anew. While setting up breaks during the study time, make sure to get your child’s input on how they should be. Some children may prefer periodic breaks, while others may prefer to take a break after each assignment and the likes.
8. Tell him your Expectations
Right from the time you start with homework for kindergarten children, you have to ensure that the child knows what is expected of him. Ensure that he knows what will happen if he fails to complete his work in time. Make it clear from the start, so that the onus is upon him to finish the homework. Do not get angry at him if he intentionally fails to complete his work- rather, discipline him by carrying out a preset activity, like reducing TV time or taking away his video games for a time.
9. Know the Teachers
You are not the only person who is involved in the academic development of your child- so it is highly recommended that you meet the teacher of your kid once in a while. Understand what the teacher expects from your child so that you can help him develop into that level. Also, get to know the homework policies of the teacher, so that you can tailor your home-routine around that.
10. Offer Rewards
If it is important to discipline the child for failing to complete the tasks in the given time, it is also equally important that you reward him when he completes his homework ahead of time. In the homework schedule that you set up, try to set up rewards and incentives so that your child exactly knows what he has to do in order to get his treats. Some of the most common rewards for young children include electronic gadgets, longer playtimes with his friends and even purchasing new video games at the end of the schedule.
It is important for parents to ensure that homework is perceived as a fun activity by their children, rather than monotonous chores. They have to be involved in the activities- after all, learning the topics underneath is the actual goal of giving homework to children.
