Help! It’s Time for Homework…

By: Jennifer Resetar, Ph.D.
Boys Town Behavioral Pediatrics and Family Services Clinic

School is back in full swing, and parents are once again faced with the difficult task of getting their children to complete their homework. You may have heard some of these comments already: “No, I don’t have any homework,” “I’ll get it done later,” and “I did my homework at school.” Perhaps there have already been arguments over homework. You may be asking yourself if you’ll be informed that your child has not turned in work at the next parent-teacher conference. Don’t worry, you are not alone, and there are several things that you can do to start the school year off right and even prevent homework problems from occurring.

• Schedule a time for homework. Determine a reasonable time after school to schedule a homework period with your child. For example, if your children don’t participate in after school activities, let them have a snack and get comfortable for about 15 minutes after getting home. Then, begin homework time.
• Identify a homework location. The ideal location for homework is somewhere that is quiet, comfortable, and free from distractions. This spot will be even better if it has all of the supplies that will help your children complete school work (i.e., pencils, rulers, calculators, etc.). The television should never be on when homework is being done.
• Ensure homework assignments and materials are brought home. Provide your child with a planner in which he can write down homework assignments and upcoming tests. If your child forgets or appears unmotivated to use his planner, ask his teachers to initial the planner at the end of each period to ensure that your child documents the assignment correctly. Some schools now provide this information online, and you can alternatively check the assignments online to see if they match what has been written in the planner.
• Supervise homework. This is important for two reasons: 1.Your child may need assistance. 2. Your child may have difficulty maintaining attention without prompts and motivation. The older your child, the less supervision he will generally require. You want to be sure that level of assistance you are offering is commensurate with your child’s abilities. You do not want to do your child’s homework for him; you want to support your child so that he completes the homework with as little help as possible.
• Determine a homework routine. For example, have your child empty out his book bag before beginning homework. Have him open the planner to the day’s assignments and show it to you. Then, have your child get the necessary materials ready to begin. Finally, have your child choose the order for completing homework assignments.
• Set goals. Work with your child to set daily goals for homework completion. For example, you may determine that it should take your child about twenty minutes to complete a two page math worksheet.
• Check the work. After your child indicates that he has completed his homework, check over it with him to make sure that it was completed accurately. If your child reports that he has been studying, quiz him for a few minutes on the material.
• Select rewards. Sit down with your child and determine what rewards he would like to earn for completing the planner, bringing home materials, having the teacher sign the planner, completing homework, completing homework accurately, or accomplishing goals. Behaviors that will earn rewards should be those that are currently the most difficult for your child.
• Provide rewards or consequences. Based on your child’s homework performance, there should always be a consequence. If your child accomplishes the agreed upon goals, then provide the selected reward. If your child sloppily and inaccurately completes homework, have him redo the assignment until it is done correctly. Access to privileges (i.e., television, phone, video games, etc.) should not be allowed until homework has been completed.

If you implement these suggestions, you should see an improvement in your child’s homework performance. If you do not see an improvement, ask yourself whether you left out a step or whether your expectations were initially too high. If, after problem solving, homework problems persist and they are causing problems with your relationship with your child and/or your child’s grades, you may want to meet with your child’s teacher or school team or ask your child’s primary care provider for a referral to a psychologist who addresses homework and school concerns.