The Do’s And Don’t Of Homework Help

Even for children who enjoy school, homework can be a bit tedious. We all remember how much it stunk to come in from flashlight tag and sit down to an hour of algebra. What about those lazy Sunday afternoons interrupted to start a book report you should have begun two weeks ago? But new studies say that you shouldn’t let those painful memories cloud your attitude about your kid’s studies. You shouldn’t overcompensate either. In fact, there are lots of rules on how to best support your kids as they battle school’s most powerful weapon.

  • DO let your kids decide the time and the place. Every kid studies in a different way. Your son or daughter might not want complete silence. They might not need to do everything before dinner. As long as your kids get their work done, they should be trusted to figure out when and where to do their work. So don’t try to find them the perfect spot. Don’t constantly nag them to complete their assignments before sundown. Just let them know that the work has to be completed in time and let them take the responsibility of getting it done.
  • DO make sure the assignments are completed. Even if you don’t worry about the specifics, you should still make sure that the work is done. Checking through your kids’ homework lets them know that you think it’s important and worth the time. It supports their effort with recognition and lets you stay involved in their studies.
  • DON’T correct every mistake. Children need to learn mistakes happen and we aren’t perfect all the time. Their grades need to reflect their actual knowledge, not your’s. So you can look through their work and point out issues, but you shouldn’t be correcting the work for them. They need to see their problems and learn how to work through them. Besides, you can’t sit through a test with them.
  • DO make it fun. There are lots of ways to accomplish this. You can apply their subjects to real life, encourage them to read and set up incentive systems. The most important thing is to make it seem important and interesting, instead of like a chore.
  • DON’T be afraid to admit that you don’t know something. If your child asks for help on a question that you aren’t sure, show them another way to get help. Show them how to utilize the internet, the library or other friends and family. So you don’t remember trigonometry… who cares!
  • DON’T belittle a subject simply because it’s not your favorite. Maybe you hated math and you still avoid it as an adult. But just because you don’t work with differential equations doesn’t mean that your children never will. Let them explore all their interests without your personal bias getting in the way. Even a simple, “Oh, I hated chemistry! Don’t worry, it’s only one class. Then you never have to worry about it again,” seems innocent, but it can sway your children’s interests. So try to stay positive and find the merits in every subject.

Homework teaches responsibility and the importance of practice. Our kids need support in their assignments. Just because it’s school-related, doesn’t mean that teachers are the only ones in charge of getting results. Parents’ attitudes and rules will determine how successful their kids are.

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