Back to School – Back to Homework • 09.07.09
The beginning of a new school year is also the beginning for wiping previous school slates clean and starting fresh. This is one of those transitions where every kid makes new choices. This is one of those transitions where we parents can also make new choices for our kids – especially when it comes to homework. The primary objective on the part of us parents is to create a household environment allowing our kids to be self-motivated. Giving our kids credit for caring enough about themselves to care enough about doing their homework on their own will begin the self-motivated process.
Here are some suggestions that might help you get your kids to take responsibility for getting the job done:
- Give them, at minimum, ½ hour of ‘unwinding time’ if they want to do their homework after school. Choosing after dinner requires no unwinding time. They choose the time of day they want to do the homework.
- Create a non-distracting environment.
- Be available to research questions with them but be firm in not doing the work for them.
- Allow no more than 2 hrs. of homework time before they close the books. If they haven’t finished their work in 2 hrs. it’s certain they’re not going to finish their homework no matter how much time you give them.
- Our job is to keep our kids mentally and physically healthy. Kids need their sleep and as little stress about school as possible. Open ended homework time breeds both lack of sleep and lots of stress. (see #4)
Finally, enabling is disabling; self- accountability is self-motivating. Ask the kids how they want to handle their homework. Giving guidelines and choices teaches them to be self-motivated. Homework is but a miniscule part of their whole well being. Keep it in perspective and try not to measure their capabilities on whether or not they get their homework done. Hugs!
