Hassle-Free Homework

by Kathy Peel

When it comes to kids and homework, parents frequently complain that they have to be bilingual: fluent in both English and Nag. If you’re tired of hectic evenings and homework hassles, three simple strategies can make school nights more peaceful and productive.

1. Have a family meeting and set an evening routine. When family members know what to expect, chaos evaporates. Our routine involves eating dinner as a family and working together to clean up the kitchen before the kids do homework. If they want to watch a special program on television, we tape it for viewing later.

We try to keep afternoons open for playtime, ball practices, and errands. But if their study load is heavy, or grades start falling, they start homework immediately after school.

Whatever routine suits your family, schedule a time every evening—even if it’s just 10 minutes—to do something fun. Play a hand of cards, take the dog for a walk, or work on a jigsaw puzzle.

2. Teach your child that school is his or her “career” and is just as important as yours. When children know their work is as valuable as Mom and Dad’s, their attitude changes dramatically. Suddenly they see their “work” as significant. Studying for a big test or researching a term paper is just as important as preparing for a big sales convention.

When you view your children’s schooling as their career, you’ll see they are learning more than math and grammar; they’re also developing important habits and skills—such as time management, responsibility, and self-discipline—that will help them succeed in every future endeavor.

3. Create a homework-friendly environment. It’s important that everyone realizes that sound travels. This means when a teenager turns on his CD player, he considers his younger brother next door who is studying for a geography test. It also means that when Mom and Dad watch television, they realize the noise can be distracting to a student trying to work math problems.

Each child needs personal workspace to work efficiently. If your child doesn’t have a desk, set aside a specific area for him, even if it’s the dining room table. Make handy the necessary paper, pens, and other supplies. A designated homework area and “time” will give your child a sense of space and routine—and will cut down on arguments about when and where to do homework.

Kathy Peel is president of Family Manager Inc. and the author of 15 books, including The Family Manager’s Everyday Survival Guide (Ballantine, 1998).

first appeared: 8/13/2000