Yesterday my children started school. And they arrived home with homework… for me. I always forget this is coming. So many forms for me to complete, even after all we filled out already at registration. There’s the personal inventory of my child’s personality and academic/social strengths and weaknesses (which I keep swearing I’ll photocopy to reuse the following year and never do), the behavior/discipline standards, the school directory forms, and the homework policy agreements.
My kids think it’s funny that the first round of homework is mine. But the beauty of it to me is that it provides an opening for tackling the topic of homework. It’s on all of our minds, but it’s not yet a source of stress.
Think about it: before school starts and the first week of school make good times to address the matter of homework because it’s only a memory and not yet a reality. And teachers are communicating expectations to give you a framework for discussion. With that in mind, here are a few tips for mining this rich opportunity to get a fix on homework:
Find a time where you and your child can relax and talk, undistracted. Fix a plate of snacks and sit together just the two of you (or three, if you’d like to involve the other parent). Then start by asking your child for their thoughts about homework: what worked well last year, what caused them the most anxiety, what are their hopes for this year. Ask if they have any opinions on when they work best and what environment is most conducive for them getting work done. Then share your observations.
The goal of this chat should be to create a preliminary homework plan. You decide how much input your child will have, based on their age and level of maturity. Once you’ve established a plan, agree to revisit it once the school year is under way.
For more tips and ideas from experts and real moms, check out my article, “Halt the Homework Hassles” in this month’s issue of Treasure Coast Parenting (you’ll find it on page 64).
In the meantime, why not share what’s worked for your family in the homework arena? I look forward to hearing your comments.
