Homework Ownership
Children don’t come with a manual. If they did it would be the most replaced manual known to man. We would have tossed it, burnt it, lost it, stomped it, and sold it only to replace it time and time again. The book would be so huge, it would have it’s own room. One chapter alone would take up a kitchen table.
The chapter all parents have longed for is the one that addresses homework. Children will do anything to avoid the dreaded after school assignments. They have feigned illness, “forgot” work at school, claimed to be hungry – after eating 3 sandwiches, 2 bananas, 4 carrots, 2 packages of Ramen Noodles, and a bag of pretzel sticks, and expertly sidetracked unsuspecting moms and dads by offering to do extra chores. What’s a parent to do?
You are not alone. I have problems nightly. I’ve tried timers, rewards, punishments, praise. I’ve done the sticker chart. Sitting down and giving one-on-one attention is just laughable. A tutor quit after 2 weeks. Recently after 2 hours of headache, I asked my daughter what would improve our struggles. She said, “That’s easy, tell my teacher not to give homework”. Sorry kid, time for round 3.
In the end, what finally worked for her was money. She spied some quarters and asked if she could have them. I replied that she could have one for every assignment completed before 6pm. It worked! After a week of hassle free afternoons, I took her out for an elusive hamburger and treated myself also.
You too can find homework happiness. Here are a few simple strategies, not from some child expert who has no children, from a real life parent.
Find what works for your child. Not all children will respond to the same strategy. Designate a quiet spot for homework, such as the kitchen table or living room desk.
Be consistent. Once you find what sparks your child to do work, stick with it.
Reward your child for a job well done. A Movie Night gift basket is a great motivator.
Be prepared with a back up plan for off days.
Lather on the love for good behavior. Kids want attention. They don’t care what they have to do to get it. If they only get a reaction when they are misbehaving, they will continue to act out.
Help your child learn good working habits and be successful in school. Remember to give positive attention. Parents don’t really need a book to tell them how to raise their child. They just need to spend time getting to know their child and addressing the issues.