3 Tips For Helping Your Kids With Homework

Most parents can agree that helping their kids with homework isn’t exactly your idea of a great time. It’s like washing the dishes or doing the laundry— it’s one of those things that you simply have to do but you’re not necessarily looking forward to it.  

Yet, since your kid’s academic success is critical for their future, it’s important that they do their homework. By implementing the right strategies and encouraging them to develop healthy study habits, you can increase your chances of positive homework time. Here are some of the most valuable tips for helping your kids with homework— without the drama.

Consider Outsourcing

If homework time is often full of arguments and resisting doing their work, then you might want to consider outsourcing to someone else once in a while. Whether it’s your older loved one who lives in an assisted living facility, or a tutor, sometimes outsourcing to someone else can avoid things getting potentially heated. 

While you may be many things— from a chauffeur to a chef to a housecleaner, one thing you may not be is a teacher. It’s okay to accept that homework time simply isn’t your forte.  Sometimes we simply don’t have it in us to be able to sit down and do homework with our kids, with so many other things going on. 

The important thing is that it gets done. So whether it’s with you, or someone else who’s more qualified to do it, the idea is to get the work done the way it’s supposed to be done.

Create a Routine

It’s easy to fall into bad habits when you don’t respect a routine. Instead of allowing your child to have downtime before hitting the books, it’s better to get it out of the way. Create a routine that involves getting home, having a snack, and getting work done before playing. 

Although it may seem perfectly reasonable to let them play before working, it’s harder to get them back into a study mentality once they’ve had downtime. Discipline and responsibility are a part of life, and the more you can instill that from a young age, the more they’ll benefit from it.

Be Supportive

Let’s face it—sometimes as parents, we want to tear our hair out and say “What on earth are you talking about?” Children can be unreasonable, and their schoolwork is no exception. Instead of getting frustrated with them and criticizing their mistakes, try to be as supportive as possible. Positive reinforcement goes a long way, especially when it comes to homework. Try the sandwich method when in doubt.

 The top layer is a compliment, the middle layer is constructive criticism, and you finish things off with another compliment. That way, criticism is a lot easier to swallow!