Homework Suggestions for Parents

Homework is for your child, not you. Your job is to monitor, supervise, and assist, but the work must be your child's. Positive self-esteem comes from accomplishing challenging goals.

Establish a place, routine and schedule for homework. Minimize distractions.

Provide incentives. Incentives should be small and immediate (e.g."when you finish your homework you can ...") and large and delayed (e.g." If you have no missing or late assignments for two weeks, you can ...")

Use homework to develop organizational and time management skills. Divide assignments into smaller parts. Create calendar/deadlines for larger projects. Create a system to increase the likelihood that completed work gets turned in.

Foster appropriate independence. It may be appropriate to start an assignment together, but then leave and return periodically to monitor.

Make sure your child can contact (phone, e-mail) a responsible classmate for clarification of assignments.

Help your child study for tests. Studying for test includes more than just doing homework. Studying for tests should include doing homework, reviewing material, and self-quizzing.

Consider hiring a tutor. Homework should not be a battleground for other family issues. Depending on the child's needs, the tutor can be a high school or college student or a professional.

Take breaks.

If homework is taking an excessive amount of time, talk with the teacher about adjusting assignments and/or me about adjusting medication.