How do you encourage your children to complete the homework their teachers have set for this evening?
We all know that kids really don’t like doing any homework, they feel that they’ve ‘worked’ all day at school and see no reason why they should spend their time off doing more school work when there are far more interesting things they’d much rather do.
You can try bribery, pleading, threatening and even jumping up and down but they still won’t buckle down and get on with it.
Try making the first step by talking to your child about their homework and explaining to them why it is so important that they complete the work the teacher has given them.
Make a set time for homework and agree it with your child – not the moment they arrive home- give them a little time to grab a snack, watch their favourite tv programme, or just run around outside with friends after the confines of school.
Create a homework area, giving each child their own space and ensuring that all the things they will need are already on hand.
The area should be comfortable, quiet with no distractions and well lit, if possible try to ensure that other family members are not interrupting them.
Include sharpened pencils, pens, paper, books, access to a laptop etc. Having to find a pencil, a coloured pencil, a calculator are always good excuses to put off starting their homework.
Make sure that the TV is turned off and ask for their mobile phones etc to be turned off and put in a central point away from their work table – left alone for 5 minutes they’ll be texting friends etc
Not every night should be homework night, so agree on homework free nights at the weekend – no homework on Friday or Sunday, this ensures that the weekend homework set by school is completed on a Saturday at the regular time and they can still look forward to an evening off on Sunday.
As a reward for continuing to do their homework willingly you could arrange to do something as a family on their evenings off, perhaps play their favourite board game, let them choose the family film or have friends over.
Sometimes when children refuse point blank to do their homework it’s because they can’t. They may be having difficulties with specific areas of their homework, this could be the time when you could offer some hands-on help or ask an older brother or sister to help with the subject they are struggling with.
Finally, when they finally settle down to complete their homework don’t continually look over their shoulder or check what they are doing, it’ll only serve to put them off. If they need help they will ask you for it.
How do you get your children to do their homework? Share your tips with others by sending them to us below.
