Motivating Kids to Do Their Homework

If you have school-aged children, it is likely you've heard any one of (or perhaps all of!) the following afternoon gripes:

"Uggghhh, I hate homework!" "C'mon mom, just 10 more minutes and then I'll start my homework." "Can't I just do my homework later?" "This homework is so hard! I don't get any of it. Can't you just tell me the answers?"

While we don't have a magic wand to make all of the homework wars disappear (wouldn't that be nice though?) we do have a few tricks up our sleeve to hopefully make things more manageable for parents and kids alike.

Club Z! Homework Survival Tips Establish a routine that works for you AND your child. This may be hitting the books as soon as he/she gets home, while school work is still fresh on the brain. This may be after your son or daughter has eaten a snack, changed clothes, or just generally unwound. You know your child better than anyone else. The point is to make sure the time and place is consistent, and that the environment is conducive to learning. Let your child do the work. As tempting as it may be to just finish a problem, correct a misspelling, or give the answer, it is imperative that your child does the work. Not only does this ensure retention (which helps in the classroom AND at the next homework session) but it builds self-confidence, self-reliance, and a sense of accountability. Get organized. A lack of organization, or preparation, for homework can add unnecessary time to the homework session, and provide ample opportunity for distraction and getting off task. This seems to be especially true for boys. So help your child set up a homework station, complete with sharpened pencils, proper erasers, and whatever other materials are generally necessary to complete assignments. Encourage and support. Even older children need encouragement and positive reinforcement. Did your son solve a difficult or lengthy problem on his own? Let him know that you're proud of him for sticking it through. Did your daughter complete a project ahead of schedule? Tell her that you're glad her hard work and commitment paid off. Maybe let her earn a few extra minutes of screen time, or some other reward. The bottom line is to make sure your kids know that their hard work has not gone unnoticed, and even more importantly, that they recognize that it was THEIR hard work that paid off. They earned that feeling of pride and accomplishment. Let them ride that feeling all the way into the next homework session. If homework continues to be a challenge for your family, there may be a need to reinforce general study and organizational skills. This is particularly true for students in grades 6-8. To find out more about Club Z!'s proven study skills program for students in grades 5-12, call 800-434-2582 today and ask about Learning Built to Last ®.