Coaching Kids Through Homework Hassles

Set your child up for success in the daily homework department. Choose to help your child manage homework in an easy way to avoid struggles. After a long day, neither parent nor child wants to hassle over homework with their school-aged child. By the end of the school day, most children are wiped out both physically and emotionally. It takes a lot of energy to make it through a 6+ hour day with constant stimulation, growing expectations and intense periods of required concentration, so it’s no surprise that doing additional work after school can pose a real challenge for many children.

Fortunately, when homework hassles do arise, there are some common-sense coaching strategies to help your kids move through assignments easily.

First, set a time and place to do homework. Figure out when your child is least likely to hassle over homework. Does he need a snack to balance glucose levels or play break when he comes home?  Or does she do best getting the work out of the way first? Provide a set place for homework that is well-lit and free of distractions.

Second, encourage him to stay organized. Keeping an assignment notebook will make managing assignments easier. Checking them off as he completes them in his notebook will also visually help him see his accomplishments.  Having a special folder for completed work ensures that completed work gets returned to school.

Third, encourage him to tackle the easiest stuff first. Getting what comes easiest to him out of the way can help build his confidence and homework momentum.

Lastly, be available for help. Let your child know that you are there to help clarify directions and to work through problems together, but avoid completing his homework for him. Just knowing you are there to ask for help can help him push through homework problems.

Homework may not be optional, but how you manage it is. When you set your child up for success, the homework hassles with likely decrease and cooperation will increase.

How do you avoid homework hassles? What tips can you share? Leave them in the comments below.

Dr. Goode is the founder of the Academy for Coaching Parents International, a global online school for training successful, parenting coaches in home-based businesses. She is the author of fifteen books, including the international best seller, Kids Who See Ghosts, the national award-winner Raising Intuitive Children. See and review all of Dr. Goode’s books here.  Dr. Goode is also the founder of HeartWise Parent, learning center for parents and Live-Spirit.com, which provides tools for spiritual living.

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