From the River Forest Library - Experiencing Homework Time Stress?

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The kids are heading back to school after a long Christmas break, and with school starting again so are homework assignments  Helping your child with homework can be a stressful experience for both of you, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few helpful tips for making homework time easier, as well as a few books from our collection that can help ease homework stress.  These tips come from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

1. Begin a homework routine. If possible, set a specific time and place to work on homework each evening, and try and stick with it.
2. Provide a quiet environment. Try and limit distractions during your child’s homework time.  (Turn off the t.v., cell phones, limit
3. Divide homework into more manageable parts.
4. Help him/her get started. Sometimes just assisting your child with getting started with their assignment (reading directions, going through the first few problems, then getting up and leaving etc.) can help them get focused on doing their homework.
5. Don’t do the homework for them. Give your child positive encouragement and feedback, but the goal is to get your child working independently, depending of course on the age of the child. When your child takes that big test, you won’t be there to help, so let them do as much as they can on their own.
6. Some mistakes are okay. Don’t expect your child to get everything right on his/her homework. It’s okay to leave some mistakes uncorrected.
7. Offer incentives. When you finish your homework you can…
8. Don’t skimp on the praise and encouragement. It’s important to try and be supportive and noncritical when pointing out mistakes or errors your child may be making while doing his/her homework.
9. Take a break. Don’t expect your child to get a long amount of homework done all at once. Take a break when needed.
10. Keep track of long-range projects and plan early. For bigger assignments, make sure that you break it up into smaller pieces so that you and your child aren’t working at the last minute to get it done. Start on it early and mark your calendar with smaller due dates for each piece of the project.
11. Hire a tutor.  Perhaps your child would learn better from a non-family member. Finding a good tutor may help ease your homework time woes.

Books

• Homework Without Tears (Adult Nonfiction) 372.1302 CAN
• How to Help Your Child with Homework (Adult Nonfiction) 372.1302 S
• That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week (Children’s Parent-Teacher Collection) J P/T 649.1 HOM
• Annie’s Plan: Taking Charge of Schoolwork and Homework E FICTION KRAUS
• A Smart Girl’s Guide to Starting Middle school (Children’s Nonfiction) J 373.1822 WIL