Homework Hot Tips for Parents
As the school year is beginning, many parents have been asking for suggestions on ways to organize and structure their after school routine to get homework completed as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Here are some general suggestions:
1. Allow 15-20 minutes of after school heavy work play either indoors or outdoors when the children arrive home. Lots of whole body input using both the arms and legs simultaneously, such as playing on climbing structures, engaging in yard work, or creating individualized obstacle courses can help a child recharge their brain battery. Time limits are key, children can get overstimulated with a lot of outdoor play, so try to keep it to 20 minutes.
2. Offer crunchy or chewy snacks like bagels, apples, and pita chips as these types of foods reinforce organization and are more on the healthier side than junk foods. Some parents may opt to use sugarless gum during homework, which can also be helpful for focusing.
3. Set up a consistent homework space, trying to reduce both distractions that are visual and auditory in nature and away from the television, high traffic and toy areas.
4. Place the child’s backpack with homework at the homework space when they return home from school, so they don’t get distracted along the way by just moving the paper from the bag to the homework space.
5. Use a visual reminder for the child on what they will need to get “organized” for homework. Do this by taking pictures of their homework folder, a pencil, markers, scissors, or any other relative homework NECESSITIES appropriate for their grade. Organize the pictures in order on paper and laminate it.
6. Encourage your child to gather the necessary items for homework independently, using the visual list as a guide, so they can learn to gather their materials and get ready.
7. Consult with your child’s teacher on the amount of time required for homework and have a timer nearby to set. For example, the child’s teacher may instruct you to stop homework after they have been working for 15 minutes. Set the timer to assist with reducing any frustration and follow the rule, even if it is not complete.
8. For children who are older with multiple sheets or subjects of homework, allow a quick fidget or motor break between tasks (generally 2-3 minutes) to squish a stress ball, play with Play-Doh, do 20 jumping jacks or a few wall push-ups.
9. Reward your child for their attempts at organizing themselves independently and do this by offering tickets for what they did right.
For example, they may have an opportunity to earn multiple tickets per homework session, such as earning one ticket for getting their pencil, one for the folder, one for initiating homework after only one verbal cue, another for providing good effort during the fifteen minutes, etc.
They can use these tickets to buy one on one time with a parent, receive an extra bedtime story, or earn time with a favorite toy. However, make sure that these reward experiences are easy to obtain early on and provide immediate gratification. They may not be motivated to continue it if they have to wait days for the reward. It is important to provide what you promise, so think about what a reasonable reward is. Though I love toys, I am personally a fan of earning positive social experiences in this case, rather than providing toy prizes.
10. Some children may not have homework every night, but try to stick to the routine daily even if you substitute learning activities, such as practicing their letters, reading a story together or playing an educational game as a family. This consistency will help keep the routine a routine!