There is a very thin line between helping children with homework and doing completing it for them. As a busy parent, the last thing you want is to struggle with an academic problem that you haven’t solved for decades in the evening when you should be relaxing. But because homework is becoming demanding and complex, kids will always need help.
Fortunately, there are ways to help children with homework with actually doing it for them. So, next time your kid says, ‘please help me with my homework’ try these tips out.
Establish a Routine
Make sure that your children see learning as a routine. Always reinforce that doing homework and learning is fun and important. Ensure that your children realize that education and learning are important for every family. If you have several children, make sure that the young ones sit down to complete homework when the older ones do. Small things like doing puzzles or coloring are ideal as homework for young children. Additionally, make sure that your children realize that everybody has homework from their tender age. This will lay the groundwork early and be part of helping them with homework.
Determine the Help to Provide Depending on the Age of Your Children
When helping a child in elementary school, a parent can get more involved. That’s because kids at this level are new to the homework concept. As a parent, you play the role of a caregiver to your child. Thus, you sit down and review homework with your child. You also come up with a plan for doing it together with the kid. Nevertheless, make sure that the child participates actively in the entire process. Eventually, this will teach the child to prioritize homework without your assistance.
But, distance yourself gradually to ensure that when your children reach junior high or high school, you are not involved in their homework process. Your role at this level should be to discuss details of the big picture in terms of projects or assignments. Essentially, you don’t want your kids to be asked by teachers, ‘who writes essay for you?’ because you helped them out.
Give Your Children Space
Avoid hovering over your kids during their homework time. Instead, be their resource. Give kids space to complete homework while you handle job-related tasks or make dinner. However, make sure that you are available in case your kids need your help. This will enable them to learn to handle difficult homework tasks on their own before they seek assistance.
Your role at this level should be to monitor the academic success of your children. For instance, review the study habits of the kids, homework policy of their school, and the completed assignments. Also, monitor the time that children spend playing video games and watching TV.
Identify the Sticking Point
Children learn differently and at varying paces. Try or suggest different methods to determine what makes doing homework and learning easier for your children. For instance, if a child has difficulties with algebra, suggest the use of pictures or diagrams to see if things will be clear when the kid learns with visual presentations.
If the problem continues, it means that the child might have missed a major foundation concept. In that case, review the subject materials with the kid. This will enable you to determine the concept that the kid may have missed. If this doesn’t work, seek help from the teacher or tutor because it’s a sign that the child needs extra support.
Keep in Touch with the Teacher
Let your children know that you and their teachers are partners. Essentially, talk to the teachers of your children whenever you have homework concerns. Although teachers like getting feedback, don’t make critical comments while your kids listen. Joanna Smith, the My Essay Geek expert, believes that you should let your children know that you are on their side without undermining what happens at school.
Generally, homework time should not be frustrating and stressful for both parents and children. That’s because there are many ways to help kids with homework without feeling like you are doing it yourself. Nevertheless, there are times when schoolwork gets complex. It’s also possible for children to have multiple tasks to complete with tight deadlines. Most students will tell you that there are times when they wish somebody could just write essays for them. Nevertheless, to ensure that you are not doing homework for your children, follow these tips and you will play a desirable parental role.