Make homework fun

Children have a better chance at success in school when parents take an interest in homework.  Parents, you can be supportive by demonstrating study skills, organizational skills, time management and by just maintaining a positive attitude!

• Make sure your child has a quiet place to do homework that is well-lit and free of distractions.

• Make sure your child is well-fed so he can stay focused. 

• Ensure that your child has the correct materials for doing his homework, including paper/notebook, sharpened pencils, school assignments and a dictionary.

• Stay in good communication with your child’s teacher and make sure you understand the methods the teacher is using to teach your child a new concept. Confusion can happen when parents use shortcuts and strategies they learned in grade school and the teacher is using a more modern and different method of teaching. Make sure you understand the purpose of the homework so you can motivate your child.

• When your child asks you to help him with his homework, please help! Give him guidance and let him figure out the answers. If your child becomes frustrated because he cannot figure out a problem, show him the appropriate way to solve it and give him the correct answer at this point.

• Show your child how the homework he is doing will help him in his adult life. If your child has a reading homework assignment, you could read a book or magazine or an article from his school. If your child has a math homework assignment, you could pay bills or balance your checkbook.

• Encourage good time management for your child by keeping a scheduled homework time.  It is not recommended that your child waits until bedtime to do homework assignments. If your child has a big project, plan to work on it over the weekend, especially if the project requires participation from other classmates.

Always keep a positive attitude about homework! Your child learns by watching you. Be sure to give your child praise for a job well done and encourage your child to make a game out of homework. 

If you and your child are having trouble completing homework assignments, please feel free to come to our Center at 1611 N Fort Harrison Avenue for FREE Homework Help. We offer these sessions every Thursday from 4-8 pm. Please RSVP to Sharon at (727) 441-4444.