10 Tips For Surviving Homework Time

 Does homework time with your kids raise your blood pressure and anxiety level, and make you just want to pull your hair out? Since school started this August, I noticed that my body gets really tense right around homework time every night. Then, I’m magically back to my normal self once homework is done. With two children in elementary school, one in middle, and one in high school, making it through homework time started out as a challenge this school year. There was lots of complaining, whining, and tears shed (and I’m not just talking about the kids!). I knew we had to figure something out. We changed things up and started doing a few things that have been super helpful – making things a whole lot less stressful. While it still isn’t perfect now, it’s slowly getting better. Here, I’ll share with you my 10 tips for surviving homework time.

10 Tips for Surviving Homework Time:

Create a “homework headquarters”

Your child should have a quiet, clean space to sit to do their homework. Be sure that there aren’t any distractions around – including younger siblings, electronics, toys, games, etc. Keep this area stocked with supplies they’ll need for homework. We have 3 different spots set up in our house, since we have so many kids. In each spot we have pencils, a pencil sharpener, paper, crayons, colored pencils, markers, glue sticks, erasers, and scissors. Our kids also have nightly homework on the computer. So, we include a computer in our headquarters. We save so much time and energy by having everything already set up. The kids don’t have to run around the house looking for what they need each night.

Keep in mind that the homework headquarters doesn’t have to always be at a desk. If your child prefers to lay on the ground, on a bean bag, or at a table on the back porch, that’s absolutely fine! Just create a tote that houses all of their needed supplies, and they can bring it to their homework headquarters each night.

Write it down

Make sure your child is writing down his homework every night. You’ll have no idea what he even needs to do each night if the homework isn’t written down somewhere! Our Kindergarten teacher communicates with us directly about homework and projects. But our 3rd, 6th, and 9th graders are responsible for writing down their homework in their planners daily.

Make a plan

Before your child starts homework each night, come up with a plan. Look at everything that needs to get done, and figure out what your child should do 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The plan may depend on your child’s personality. If your child has a tendency to lose focus, then I recommend doing the hardest work first before that focus drifts. If your child needs motivation to keep going on to the next task, then start with the easiest homework first.

I highly recommend grabbing my printable Daily Schedule Template and Sample Schedule in the Balanced Mom Toolbox to keep things organized. It’s meant to use as an overall daily schedule if your child is home, but can also be used just for homework time.

Take breaks

If your child has the tendency to lose focus easily or has a hard time sitting still, take regular breaks during homework time. These can be brief, just to allow him to get up, stretch, and move a little. A quick drink of water or a snack may be helpful at the midpoint of your homework time, especially if there’s a lot of work that needs to get done.

Finish one task before starting the next

My 3rd grader has the tendency to do the easier parts of her homework first and skip over what she doesn’t understand. She then wants to move on to the next subject. I have to remind her to stick to one topic first. Once she’s read a passage, it’s better to finish all of those questions for that passage before moving on to anything else. The passage is still fresh in her mind, so the questions will be easier to answer. When her mind is in “math mode” it’s better to just finish all her math problems before moving on to the next subject.

Have a set homework time/routine

In our house, our regular routine includes dinner, homework, then baths. We don’t usually get home until around 6pm. My kids are usually “starving” by then, so we eat dinner first. Then around 6:30pm, it’s time for homework. Our timing may vary a little, depending on the extra-curricular activities we have that night. But, the routine remains the same each night. Our kids may not all do their homework together at the same time either, but they all follow the same routine.

Empty book bags nightly

Once homework is done in our house, we unpack and pack book bags as a part of our nightly routine. This way, I can look through everyone’s folders to make sure they turned in their work from the night before. We also get rid of any trash they’ve accumulated during the day. And I’m able to stay on top of any notices that come home from the school. Before I started doing this, I missed out on so much!

Stay in touch with the teacher

By communicating with your child’s teacher, you’ll know how your child is doing academically. You’ll know if there are any specific areas where extra help is needed. Your child may be completing all of his homework, but not turning it in. This may not be evident to you unless you talk to the teacher. If you have a way to check their grades on a regular basis – do it!

The teacher can offer tips on things you can do at home to help your child. He or she may also be able to recommend tutoring or other services that can be provided by the school. Don’t be afraid to accept the help if your child really needs it! Watch out for signs of ADHD or a learning disability. Also, don’t wait until the end of the school year to communicate with the teacher, since it’s likely too late by then. Check in at least at the end of each quarter to make sure your child is on the right track.

Don’t forget to talk to the teacher about your child’s behavior in the classroom. Bad behavior, anxiety, and hyperactivity can all affect how your child learns. It’s important to recognize and address this early on.

Make sure your child tries

Always encourage your child to do his very best. There may be subjects or topics that he doesn’t really “get”, but at least allow your child to try. My kids sometimes tell me they don’t understand something, even before they try it. But, once they really sit down without distractions, it’s amazing how quickly the work gets done. If your child has the tendency to rush through their work and make careless mistakes, encourage him to slow down.

On the same note, be sure that your child’s homework is THEIR work, not YOURS. As parents, we have the tendency to want out children to have the best work, the best projects, etc. I’ve seen a lot of projects that show up in a Kindergarten classroom that were clearly not done by the student. Answering questions for them without allowing them to try, or doing projects for them takes away from the learning process. Let your child do it! It’s better for them to get a “B” on something that’s their own work, than to get an “A” for something they had nothing to do with.

Grab my printable Love Notes for Kids in my Balanced Mom Toolbox to keep your kids motivated and to show them some love.

Get rid of the guilt

Take the homework burden off of yourself! Your child’s homework is their homework. If he comes home without the things he needs for an assignment, or finishes a project but forgets it at home, there is only so much you can do. Sure, it’s helpful to communicate all of this with the teacher. But, your child has to take responsibility for his own work. This is especially true for 3rd graders on up.

We, as parents, have to let go at some point and not continue to hold the stress or guilt of our child’s mishaps in school. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t care. I absolutely want you to care! I want you to encourage your child to do his best, to keep track of his things, to stay organized, etc. It’s important for your child to take ownership of his work and of his future, starting in elementary school.

Do you have any other tips to add to these 10 tips for surviving homework time? I’d love to hear them! Please leave them in the comments below!

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