You would have to be living under a rock to know that homework is constantly being discussed by parents, with many in favour of the evening tasks being eradicated altogether.
You would have to be living under a rock to know that homework is constantly being discussed by parents, with many in favour of the evening tasks being eradicated altogether. It can make or break homes and while it is understandable that teachers need kids to do some learning after school surely, a bit less written work wouldn’t do any harm.
For now, anyway, homework is still part of daily life so here are some things you should know:
1. It is tiring for you and your child
Your child is tired because they have been in school all day and parents are exhausted after working or running after the kids and catching up on chores. The truth is there are more fun things you would rather be doing right now, but here you are!
2. It takes time
It really does and depending on your child’s age it could take from 15 minutes to an hour or more! Throw in a reluctant child and you will find it takes a lot longer or you may need to split the written and learning homework, so your kid pays attention.
3. There may be meltdowns
The worst thing is, it may not be your child having the meltdown as homework is tough for parents too. It causes some stress in the afternoon and while your kiddie wants to play, you want to get the dinner on or catch up on the housework.
4. The evenings will go in the blink of an eye
By the time parents get in with the kids and sit down to do the homework it could be nearly 4pm and then homework must be done before dinner. In the winter, this makes the day a lot shorter and there is very little time for kiddies having fun and playing outside.
5. It can get easier in time
As your child grows, it can become a little easier as they grow accustomed to the routine but nevertheless it is always a struggle.
Here are a few tips on making it easier:
- Get into a good routine – Have some basic rules and tell your child they can have playtime once the homework is done. If your child complains of being thirsty or hungry, give them a snack and drink before you get started. A bit of food will give them some energy.
- Be patient – Try and have fun doing the homework by laughing. Why not turn the tables and ask your child to teach you instead? This way the information is still going in, but it seems more fun!
- Keep working on it – With some structure and practice, homework can be a lot easier to deal with. For all the drawbacks of homework at least it alerts you to any problem areas your child may be having.
Good luck!
Emma Hayes is a thirty-something mum of two girls aged 16 and 10, planting her right into the teenage and tween-age years! Follow her on Twitter at @EmmaHayes25.