Navigating the afternoon of homework and enrichment activities has proven to be a challenge here at my house. Now that we are several weeks in I have discovered some things that are working for me and helping to make this time of day less stressful. I hope you will share your ideas as well.
1) Set time to do homework.
At first I was allowing them to come home and immediately go outside and play with their friends. Mostly because I felt bad for them having been cooped up at school all day. Then I realized that it was impossible to get them back into the house to do their homework later on.
So now, homework happens as soon as they arrive home from school.
2) Have a snack ready
I have a snack sitting out at that table ready for them to eat as soon as they walk in the door. They sit down and eat and it gives me the opportunity to go through their backpacks and check if there is anything that I need to do.
3)Eliminate distractions
No television or video games are allowed on school nights. Period. End of discussion. This is why God invented the dvr.
4) Have all the supplies ready
I have containers of pencils, markers, colored pencils, scissors and glue sticks at the table. Various kinds of paper are nearby. Any sort of assigment they need to complete, we have the supplies ready.
5) Be present and interested
I can remember as a child going to friends house and having her parents ask about assignments that we were doing and being interested in the subjects we were studying for. This was very unlike my family where homework was considered my job. No one ever asked about it and certainly no one was ever interested in what I was studying in school.
What other sort of ideas do you have to make homework time go more smoothly at your house? How do you motivate the reluctant student?
homework is tricky some kids can come home have some down time and then get to their homework others need to go right to the table with a snack and start it asap.
my kids fall under the latter because the are involved in other activties.
i also find as they get older (with the exception of the 13 yo boy) they tend to be more
likely to manage their time so they can do a lot of everything. the above mentioned boy child needs constant guidence.
good luck with the homework for 7.
Comment by tammy — September 11, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
Try and make things helpful, like having some juice/pop and an apple ready on the table so when they get home they are hungry and thirsty. have them sit at the table and get there homework done and if they need any help be there to help them. Or if that isnt convient for your family then have them do their homework when you are getting dinner prepared. so that way no one is lounging around, your cooking and they are doing homework at the table. right in ear shot of you so you can check on them inbtw stirs.
hope this helps
Comment by Kyla — September 14, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
Sounds like youare doing everything right. however, I found that if homework gets too intimidating, we break it down to one subject at a time. After the subject is done, they set the timer for 15 mins and start chores. Since it is not playing, they are more likely to come back to work. In the end, they feel they have accomplished more than they would if they were forced to do it all at once. We also do “quiz lights”. On the way to activities, I give them 5 questions, math problems, spelling, whatever they are studying when we come to a stoplight. They must try to answer before the light turns green. It is a winner in my car.
Comment by Claire — September 19, 2009 @ 4:40 pm