To get your child to do homework without a fuss, firstly, have a set homework time – depending on the school requirements.
Make homework a regular habit. Try to choose a set time every day, when your child has had a little time to chill after coming in from school, and before tea-time. Or it could just be half an hour two days a week. Just check with the school how much homework your child is required to do.
It’s the teacher’s responsibility to set homework that your child can complete in the time decided by the school. Having a regular time for homework helps to make sure that your child knows when ‘homework time’ will be. And stops them doing their homework at the last minute, or having to stay up late to do it, which can make everyone very stressed. If your child has after school activities some nights, agree with your child the best time to do homework on those evenings.
Secondly, use a timer to time the homework.
Once your child has everything they need to complete the homework in front of them, and are ready to start, set a timer to go off after 20 minutes, half an hour, or an hour- however long the school specified.
If your child doesn’t have homework that night, then the time should be used to do something educational. If your child can’t think of anything educational to do, then you can choose an activity for them. Something they’d enjoy researching or something they’d benefit from spending some extra time on.
Finally, as soon as the timer rings –homework is over.
After the timer goes off if your child hasn’t finished the homework write on the worksheet or book “this is what Johnny completed in 20 minutes” – and sign it. Don’t try to persuade your child to carry on and complete the homework. Unless they really want to. If they’ve done the right amount of time, let them finish.
The simple act of sticking to the timer will give your child an important message: That homework no longer needs to take over their evening, and now they can relax and have some fun! (Often children end up enjoying the assignment, and will want to complete it, and that’s fine. Just don’t try to force them.)
After the homework’s completed, if there aren’t any other jobs they need to do, your child can unwind and have some free time.
You’ll be amazed at how much difference these three simple steps will make to your child’s willingness to do their homework.
So the 3 tips to help you to get your child to do homework without a fuss are:
- Have a set homework time – depending on the school requirements.
- Use a timer to time the homework.
- And as soon as the timer rings –homework is over.
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If you need more than three tips on this – or you’d like to discover the secrets you need to have happy well-behaved, children – please contact me by clicking here. You can arrange a free 20-minute (no obligation) chat to find out if working with me personally (by phone, Skype or face-to-face) would help you and your family. Contact Elizabeth
