Every day millions of parents experience the same problem: their children don’t want to do anything with the homework. They simply refuse to do it or even say that they don’t have any tasks at all. However, the truth eventually comes out when the report cards arrive. This problem is extremely widespread, and it is not surprising: while staying at school, children concentrate on the educational process and have lesser distractions. When at home, they are more relaxed and have tons of more interesting tasks to do, and it is more difficult for them to focus.
They just want to relax, play video games, grab a snack, and forget about boring classes and tasks. Some parents even start thinking something like, should kids have less homework? or am I too persistent? Most likely, you are not, it’s just your child is trying to dominate and to do everything they want to do without any responsibilities.
If you experience the same difficulties, read these guidelines. We have collected the best tips where you will find out why homework is good for kids and how to help them do it.
Is Homework Good for Kids?
It surely is! Homework has many advantages, and you probably know all of them. What you might not know is that there’s no point in fighting over homework because eventually, both of you will lose. Your child will be disappointed and angry, and you will be stressed and exhausted. And eventually, your relationships will become worse.
Why do kids have homework? Because it is beneficial for them, and if your kid not doing homework, you just need to create a viable system that contains a set of effective steps and instruments. We recommend telling your child about new rules in advance to let them prepare and accept the changes. With time, both of you will see that such an approach makes the process of preparing homework easier and that your relationships have improved.
A child refusing to do homework is no news, but it is in your power to change the situation and to turn them into the motivated learners.
How to Get Child to Do Homework? Schedule the Evening for the Assignments
At least once, every parent has heard from their child that kids should not have homework. They don’t want to study and try to make excuses. However, one of the most common problems is just an absence of a schedule. When your children return from school, you should have a specific structure, and they must follow it.
There should be a particular time for meals, rest, and homework. And don’t forget that children can relax only when everything is done even if your kids have too much homework. Try to make sure that nothing in the house distracts your child from homework: no TV or radio in the living room.
If on a certain day there is no homework, try to make sure that your child spends the homework time on reading or preparing long-term tasks. No gadgets and devices. Building a schedule is a must and can be one of the most important arguments in the question is homework good for kids?
If you still have toddlers and younger children who don’t have assignments yet, try to schedule some time in the evening when they can learn or read a bit. This will help them to adapt to the system in advance, and when school comes, there will be rest resistance.
Should Children Have Homework? Yes, but With Breaks
Why is homework bad for kids? You may ask. Well, in some cases it exhausts children, makes them annoyed, anxious, and causes stress and anxiety. But everything depends on a proper schedule and time dedicated to rest. We recommend making five-minute breaks every half an hour. Let your children drink some water, stretch their legs, and use the restroom. But without any devices and internet.
We know that getting kids to do homework can be really hard but try to encourage them along the way, saying something like ‘I know you are tired but once you do the task after a break, you’ll spend the rest of the night the way you want’.
Show your children that you understand them. Eventually, when we were kids, we didn’t like homework either. Is homework bad for kids? No! But you need to show children that you are on their side, and this will help to avoid lots of negative consequences.
Why Should Kids Have Homework at Home?
People think that the best place to do homework is in children’s rooms. However, for many kids, it is the wrong answer because they can’t study without anyone’s supervision and find too many distractions in their own rooms. That is why another tip on how to get child to do homework is to understand where your child will study effectively. If they are not productive in their own room, offer them to study in the living room or in the kitchen with not so many distractions.
Should children have homework? Yes, but the approach must be personalized. If your kid wants to do homework in their room, the door should remain open, so you can monitor how everything’s going: no smartphones or other distractions.
When applying effective learning tips, you will be able to answer your children’s common complaints on why should kids not have homework.
Why Is Homework Bad for Kids? It’s Good, but Not at the Beginning
We all know that the most difficult part is to start, not depending on what you are doing. The same applies to children and their school assignments. So how to motivate children to do homework? We recommend you start the process together to help children understand the task. In a few minutes, you’ll see the child doing homework and can return to your routine.
Such an approach doesn’t mean that you are doing the task for your child. It only means that you understand their worries and hardships and are able to give a helping hand at the beginning. As a bonus, this approach will help you to build a warmer and more trusting relationship with your kid.
Kids Have Too Much Homework in the Long Run
If everything is quite clear with short assignments like math homework or a narrative essay, it is more difficult to explain why do kids need homework that takes several weeks or even months to complete. This concerns science projects, presentations, research papers, and other massive tasks.
The first thing you should do in such a case is to ask your child how much time they will need to spend every day to prepare the assignment on time. If they say 20 minutes, make sure that they stick to this schedule.
Remember that time management is a skill that even adults can’t develop, so don’t expect your children to manage the time wisely without your assistance. Remind them about the project, encourage them to do more in advance, and you will never see them missing the deadlines.
Why should kids have homework that takes weeks to complete? To gain new knowledge and master time-management, understand how to schedule all stages, and process huge volumes of information. These tasks are extremely important, and it is in your power to help children manage with them in the best way.
Why Kids Should Have Less Homework During the Weekends
From time to time, children fail to complete all the tasks during the weekdays, and you should make it clear that the weekend starts only when the homework is done. Yes, your child may resist and say that their friends are waiting for them outside or at a party. But if you manage to stick to this rule, you can be quite sure that the next week all homework will be done before the weekend.
Some children think they are smart enough and say that they can’t do the homework because they have left the books at school or don’t know what the task was. Don’t let them fool you because nowadays, in the era of the Internet, there is even no need to go to classmates and borrow books. They can simply text them homework or take a photo of the necessary pages. You can say that they are grounded for several days and be sure that the next week all the textbooks will be in place
Don’t Bribe Your Child but Use an Effective Rewards System
Most children get lots of satisfaction when finishing their tasks on time and obtaining high grades. However, from time to time, you might need to boost their positive behavior by offering incentives. For example, you can offer a financial reward if getting an A for an essay or a weekend getaway if receiving Bs or above at the end of the term. Thus, children know that if they study well, they’ll get a reward.
However, many parents don’t know the difference between a reward and a bribe. And that’s exactly where all the problems begin. A reward is given only when the result is achieved. A bribe is given before the homework is completed or a high grade is obtained.
When choosing the bribe method, you give power to the child because, with time, they think that good behavior is enough to get what they want. They even come up with effective ways of not making homework or completing their part of the deal after the reward is obtained.
You should also remember that using this method in a negative way may do harm. For example, you shouldn’t say: if you don’t do homework today, I’ll take your smartphone away for a week. Instead, say: you can’t use your phone until the task is finished. See the difference?
Remain Tranquil
It is rather easy to be angry and annoyed when your child doesn’t want to do homework and is always distracted, especially after a hard day at work. However, even if they can’t find the right solution for a task, it’s not right to yell at them. If you feel like you are one step away from screaming, it is better to walk away and spend a few minutes calming yourself.
If you are living with a partner, choose who is more patient or even set a schedule and share responsibilities. Thus, homework will be much simpler to complete, and everyone will remain calm and happy.
Remember, if you can’t stay composed and tranquil, the situation will become even worse. Your child will become more stressed, and it will be harder for them to focus on the assignment. And remember, never blame the child for your feelings because in this situation, it is your problem and the best solution is to go to a therapist or find materials that will help fix the situation on your own.
Homework Should Always Remain a Priority
Modern children have lots of after school assignments, and sometimes it is difficult to keep up with all the tasks. However, it would help if you always remembered that homework is important and comes first. Your children must remember this rule and obey it.
For example, if the homework is not ready on Tuesday, say that your child will miss a football practice on Wednesday and another practice afterward if the task won’t be completed. In such a situation, children start manipulating and saying that they will be kicked out of the team if they miss practices. But stay firm and say that in such a case, they’d better do the task properly.
When the homework is neglected, you shouldn’t encourage children to do sports or other activities. Make sure that everyone at your home understands the importance of homework and puts it first.
That’s all about the most common and effective ways of motivating and helping children to do their homework. Good luck!