Question: What are some effective ways to handle homework?

Answer: If there are any homework battles in your home, or if you want to avoid having any, we suggest that you use a homework contract. These contracts lay out such things as when homework will be done and what the responsibilities will be for both children and their parents. You can get a free homework contract HERE. You can tailor the contract to meet your family’s needs.

Setting the homework stage properly is important. Whether you like it or not, parents have to play a role in helping their children handle homework. Initially, their role is fairly large. However, the sooner you put them on the path to handling homework by themselves, the happier all of you will be. By the time children are in middle school, they should have almost complete responsibility for doing their homework with the exception of some help on special projects. Check to see if you are doing what is necessary to make your children responsible for their homework:

• Teach your young children how to organize and tackle their homework.

• Show your children how to handle difficult assignments.

• Provide help only when it is requested and they have really tried to do the work.

• Help them become responsible for starting homework without any reminders.

• Make sure your children have a place and supplies to do their homework.

• Find a homework plan that works for your family.

• Talk with someone at school if your children are struggling every day to complete their work.