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Making homework work

Find the right time
For some children, the best time to get homework done will be straight after school. Others might need a break to play and unwind first. No matter what, the optimal time is when you can be around to supervise and give your child a helping hand if needed.

Most children can only concentrate for about 15 minutes at a time before they might need a brief break. Get your child to do some neck stretches, arm shakes and finger wriggles. A favourite activity, like watching TV or playing outside, might be a reward for when the homework has been finished.

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Create the right environment
It’s a good idea to set up your child somewhere that has good light, air and enough space for her to spread out with her books, pens and other resources.

Try to minimise distractions by turning off the TV and asking siblings to stay away. You might also like to ask your child to leave his mobile phone with you. If he’s using a computer that’s connected to the internet, you might want to keep it in a shared family area so you can keep an eye on the sites he’s visiting.

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Help your child get organised
You can show your child how to break down big assignments or projects into smaller, more manageable tasks. She might then plan to do one each night. If she has several different assignments in one week, help her plan what to do each night.

Older children might benefit from a homework planner so they can see when assignments are due and plan accordingly.

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Help your child develop a positive approach
Schoolwork isn’t always easy. Your job is to help your child develop a positive approach to academic and organisational challenges.

If your child avoids challenges, encourage him to sort the tasks into those he finds easy and those he finds difficult. Get him to do ‘easier’ tasks first to build his confidence, then guide him through the more difficult tasks.

If your child’s struggling with a particular assignment, you could help her approach the problem positively by getting her to pinpoint what she’s finding difficult. From there, you can brainstorm some solutions together, weighing up the pros and cons of the different options to find the best one. You can also help your child identify people or resources that could help her further.

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Be a coach
When it comes to homework, it can help to think of yourself as your child’s coach. You can support your child by creating the right time, environment and approach for homework, but doing the work is ultimately your child’s responsibility.

Being the coach might mean you have to let your child ‘fail’ sometimes – but remember that children learn from failure as well as success. What really counts is the attitude you both have to these failures.

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