I overheard a conversation today
while sitting in the doctor's waiting room. A mom was lamenting the dread she
and her son go through each evening when facing homework. Both my boys are
grown and I live in an empty nest, but I remember how homework could turn an
evening into a nightmare. Here are a few suggestions that I used to help alleviate
the problem.
1. Allow Some Venting –
Listen to the groaning for a bit. Kids need to express their frustration and want
to be heard. Empathize with phrases like, "that is a lot of work," and "wow, you sound upset."
They'll feel better and have more focus once they know they're understood.
2. Earlier Is Better – Let's
face it, kids (and parents) aren't much good at anything when they're tired.
Get to that homework as quickly as you can.
3. Positive Reinforcement –
Try not to mirror your child's moaning and groaning. A "you can do
this" or "this looks interesting" can go a long way in teaching
your child to have an upbeat attitude about homework.
4. Create a Call List – A couple
of "study buddies" can be a good thing if your child forgets an
assignment, so have some phone numbers on hand. A classmate can read the
instructions over the phone, or a parent can take a picture of the list of
spelling words and send it in a text or an email.
5. Leave The Room – Allowing
your child to do his/her homework on their own builds confidence. This is not
to say that you shouldn't be within calling distance if you're needed, but parents
should realize that some kids will often drag out the inevitable merely to get
attention.
6. Become A Cheerleader –
Young children, especially, thrive on praise! Don't be afraid to let your child
know he/she did a great job. I'm not suggesting that you let blatant mistakes
go uncorrected, but once the homework is done to the best of your child's ability,
go ahead and give them a "good job" and a nice, big hug.
Years ago, a friend called to
tell me her 3rd grade daughter had locked herself in her room after
they'd fought over homework. I had to use every tool in my homework toolbox to
save the day. After it was all over, I told the little girl, "You
shouldn't fight with your mom over homework." She looked contrite while
her mother offered an I-told-you-so expression. I said to my friend, "You
should fight with your daughter over homework." My friend's eyebrows arched and
her daughter giggled like a little monkey. In the end, all three of us were laughing.
Do you have a funny homework
story? How do you cut homework heartache?
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