As you close your eyes and lie in your bed, do you reflect on your day and its challenges, including the time, energy, and patience required to help your child with their homework?

Parents may be worried about these potential problems;

  • Will homework always be this difficult?
  • Does my child remember what he/she learns?
  • Will we ever be able to finish homework in one sitting?
  • Will my child be able to complete exams?
  • How can I help him/her be organized / independent enough to move forward?
  • Will my child ever like to do homework / read?
  • Will my child finish high school?
  • What will he/she become?
Potential outcomes caused by this frustration;
  • Parents may be stressed or tired
  • Parents lash out at their child
  • Having less patience to show support
  • Feeling the pain of the child
  • Analyzing the child, themselves, teachers, and the school on what may be wrong
  • Feeling they have tried everything and nothing seems to work
  • Constant fighting
  • Repeating , repeating, repeating
Three Significant Mistakes Some Parents Make

1. Blaming the child because they lack concentration and focus.

When frustration sets in, it is likely the child will be to blame. Even when you realize it’s not their fault, you often wonder why homework is such a struggle for your child if other children also go through the same. There are some things you can do to turn this mistake around. You may require some outside help. Here are some suggestions;
  • Stick to a homework schedule because organization is the key
  • Limit the time you invest in homework, or do homework in 15-minute periods
  • Test your child’s memory, there may be something more serious to consider
  • Get support from a professional to assess your child’s ability to retain learned information, focus on schoolwork, and celebrate the positives in the child
If a parent you know struggles with these critical mistakes, there is hope! There are solutions that can help even the most frustrated parents overcome the challenges of homework.

2. Blaming yourself because the child is unmotivated.

Let’s face it, sometimes we are both unmotivated! Don’t blame yourself. Together with your child, celebrate all the things you accomplished in your day. This can help your motivation and understanding on how to make homework less of a chore.
  • Connect with other parents to learn about their strategies and struggles
  • Integrate fun activities before, during, and after the homework
  • Celebrate other activities that you accomplished as a family and individually
  • Guide, support, love and take care of your child’s overall well-being
  • Ensure balance; what reward can you offer that encourages the child to focus on the work?
3. Blaming the teacher because the child doesn’t understand the homework.

We start looking at what others may not be doing right. It’s important to look at all the people in the system and how each one of them influences and impacts the other.
  • Reach out to the teacher and be transparent about what is happening
  • Communicate on a regular basis
  • Tackle the situation together as a team
  • Understand what the child may be experiencing at school
  • Look for ways to facilitate the transition of homework from school to home and back to school
To learn more, call 514-622-2008 / 514-776-8626 to sign-up for HOPE’s free 90-min online and face-to-face workshop entitled, 3 Key Reasons Why Homework Takes So Long.

Or visit our website www.hoperesourcecentre.com to sign-up to receive valuable tips and upcoming events by email.