4 Homework Tips for Parents

Want to make homework time go smoother for you and your kids? Read on for four homework tips for parents!

As a teacher and a mom, I’ve learned some simple strategies to make homework easier for both you and your child.

These four tips work for any child, but they are especially helpful for children who resist homework or dread homework time.

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Homework Tips for Parents

1. Create a consistent routine that works for your family

Look at your weekly schedule and see what activities you currently have: sports practice, music lessons, and other events. Also think about when your family likes to eat dinner and go to bed.

Find a consisten time that your kids will sit down and have homework time. Be sure to communicate this with your family.

Tips for building a good homework routine:

• Give kids a break between school and homework time.
• Try to stick to the routine as regularly as possible.
• Discuss the routine before hand so everyone knows the expectations.
• Discuss who will be the support person. There may be certain days or topics that a different parent will be the go to for homework help.

2. Have a homework station

How annoying is it to sit down to do an assignment just to find you don’t have the needed materials handy?

For instance, you might need a ruler to complete an assignment, and then you and your child have to stop working and search the house to find one!

When you finally sit back down with the ruler, the energy and focus needed to work has been depleted and time has been lost. Here’s a quick fix:

Create a homework station or toolbox where you can organize commonly used homework tools!

Your homework station doesn’t have to take up a lot of space. It may be a rolling cart (seen here in this $16 rolling cart from Target!) or a shelf in the living room. Or you could simply use a plastic tub or crate.

Exactly what you store in your homework station will depend on your child’s age and the type of homework, assignments, and projects that are sent home.

Ideas for items to keep in your homework station:

• Paper (lined, construction paper, multi-colored paper)
• Writing utensils (sharpened pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons)
• Sticky notes and index cards
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Glue
• Hole puncher

Of course you can add anything that works for your child’s home projects!

3. Don’t overwork them + use a timer

Prevent overwhelming your child with this rule of thumb: 10 minutes of work per grade level (this is for students K-6th grade).

For example, a 2nd grader could do homework for 20 minutes before stopping. Doing homework for longer than your child can developmentally handle will only cause stress.

Younger children will often be given homework tasks that are open ended, such as to read a book or practice math facts. The 10 minute x grade level will be your way of knowing how long they should practice!

I like to use a visual timer that my child can see next to their work space. Using a timer is a great way to motivate your child and let them know they will get a break after they work a set amount of time.

4. Give choices and breaks

Giving choices and breaks is a great way to help out a child who is frustrated or resisting homework.

An easy way to give a choice is letting your child decide which homework task to complete first. Or perhaps they can choose what type and color of writing utensil to use.

Giving choices decreases power struggles, arguments, and tears!

Also, don’t hesitate to give your child a break when needed.

Which homework tip will work for you and your family? Let me know in the comments below!

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