Top 10 tips to less homework trouble

By Stacie Gaetz

Let’s face it – no one likes homework.

Kids and parents alike dread that time of the evening when they pull the pages out of their backpack.

If you feel like you are always nagging your child to get down to business, you are not alone.

It makes sense that after a day of pencils and books, they don’t want to do more once they get home, especially when their house is riddled with distractions like their siblings, pets, screens and much more.

Children are more motivated to get started when they have something positive to look forward to and they retain information better when they are engaged with what they are learning.

But how can you make homework fun and interesting?

Here are ten tips to take some of the “work” out of your child’s homework habits.

1. Sort out a special space

A specific place designed for them to work can really help your child get in the zone. Working at the kitchen table with siblings running around, parents getting dinner ready and other distractions may not be the best place for your child to focus. Let them choose the space and how to set it up. It can be a corner in their room, a loft, a bonus room or even in the basement. The more ownership they have of the space, the more likely they are to want to spend time there and be productive. Make sure they have everything they need in the space to avoid the “but I just have to get my ________” procrastination excuse.

2. Set out a snack

No one is productive when they are hungry. Makes sure your kiddo’s brain has some fuel before they get to work. Some foods that may help them keep their focus and lead to healthy brains include:

• Eggs
• Apples
• Yogurt
• Nuts and seeds
• Oats (in a granola bar or energy ball)

3. Tackle it with teamwork

This can take a number of different forms. It can be you sitting down with them and asking questions about what they are doing to help them get started. We all know that sometimes the hardest part of a project is getting going. You can also just be with them while they work. Do some banking, check your emails or get some online shopping done. Modelling focused work can go a long way to getting them on track. You can also set up a homework playdate where your child invites a classmate over to work on a project together.

4. Incite incentives

We have all heard that you catch more bees with honey. You also get kids to do more homework with… whatever they like. You can incentivize with anything from more time with their friends, to screen time, to a later bedtime or one-on-one time with you doing their favorite activity. Make it exciting by creating a system – for every few questions they answer, they get a minute of screen time or they get something extra special for a large project.

5. Verify with visuals

Sometimes the biggest obstacle to doing homework for children is a lack of organization. Set up a homework chart (white boards or chalk boards work best for this) so they can see what they need to do and feel the satisfaction of marking the tasks off as they do them.

Many children are visual learners. If they are struggling with a problem, ask yourself if there is a way to make the question more tangible. Can you use coins or buttons or even dried pasta or beans to help them understand that math problem? Is there an app that will help them visualize the project they are working on? Can you make up a song to help them remember the spelling of that tricky word? Sometimes you just need to think outside the box.

6. Opt for outside

If possible, take the work outdoors. Sometimes a simple scenery switch-up is all your child’s brain needs to switch on. Fresh air can help kids focus and you can take regular movement breaks with a quick walk, game of catch, bounce on the trampoline, or swing on your playset that can help get the ideas flowing. There are also plenty of educational tools outside – leaves to count, colors to explore, animals to investigate – the list goes on and on.

7. Get in the game

When kids are interested in what they are learning, they are more likely to retain the information. There are a number of apps that involve educational games. Use printable bingo cards to help teach children letters and numbers (who doesn’t love to use a bingo dabber?)

Count with candy (and they eat the answer!). Teach them about money with Monopoly, Pay Day or another board game. Learn about business by creating your own store or restaurant. There are many ways to transform boring homework into a fun activity that they may even end up asking to play later.

8. Terrific timers

Timers are a great way to motivate kids. Some children need to know they won’t be doing homework forever and there is an end in sight. Visual timers can be really helpful especially for younger children. This also cuts down on the amount of nagging you have to do and is a neutral source that they can’t argue with – it’s not you telling them they have five more minutes, it’s the timer.

9. Reverse roles

Let your kid teach you something for a change. Depending on the age of the child, you can set it up so you are playing school with them as the teacher or if they are older, they can explain the concept to you or a sibling.

10. Pump up the positive

It can be easy to fall into police mode when your child is doing homework. Nagging them to stay on track and trying to get them to stay focused is stressful for you and them. Try to be upbeat and positive and focus on what they are doing well. They will be more motivated to keep going if they know they are on the right track. If you do have to point out something that needs to change, try padding it with a positive first. “I love that your did all of your math problems, you worked really hard on that! Now, how about we tackle that English assignment you didn’t quite finish?”