Back to school – making homework easy
Reading time: 3 minutes
No more arguments, plan the best time to do homework.
Helping your child to be successful with their homework is about planning. Plan a time when your child can concentrate and an adult is available to lend support to the task. Some children will be able to do homework right after they finish school other children will need time to do some physical activity before they can concentrate and yet other children will need to eat first.
Have a quiet area near an adult. Children may need support from an adult at times to be successful
Plan the best space for doing homework
You will need a spot with limited distractions, minimize stimulation from video screens and phones and reduce loud conversations with other family members in the homework area.
Plan a schedule for completing large projects
Large projects take more than one night to complete. Help your child learn how to plan ahead. Look at the week and weekend and see what time is available to work on the project. Divide the project into smaller sections that can be completed a little at a time during the week and on the weekend. At first, it takes a lot of discipline from the parent and the child but as the family gets used to planning ahead your child will tell you that they need your help with some homework and the only night you are both home is Wednesday. It will be great when they take over the time management of homework.
Teach your child management so they will have enough time to complete large projects.
Have a portable homework station that can move with you.
Many families have shared custody of children between parents and some families are always on the move taking children to after school events where children need to do homework while they are waiting for siblings to finish an activity.
Help your child be able to complete their homework quickly anywhere.
Have a portable homework station that can be taken anywhere
Taking into consideration all the variables, homework areas need to be portable. Children need to have a container with all the pens, pencils, markers, erasers, rulers, a stapler, tape, glue, paper, calculator etc. they need. This container can be used in any room in the house allowing for flexibility. Let your child organize the container since they know what they need. This container can be put in the car and taken along to activities, babysitters, and parent’s homes. It is important that children have the supplies they need and learn to take care of them so they can get their work done. If you choose to have one room or area for homework consult your child about what it should look like so they want to work in that area.
Share your tip for making homework an enjoyable experience.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
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My kids always struggle with their homework following summer vacation. They have the summer fever. lol
It is hard for children to get back into a routine after a summer of fun.
This is great Julie! Love the idea of a portable homework station. My son will be starting grade 1 so this whole homework thing is a bit new to me!
It is nice to have a portable homework station organized so you can quickly take it with you when unexpected events happen.
You and Andi are of like minds this week! I guess it is that time. Love the homework caddies… they are so important as most kids like working at the kitchen table, and you need a quick and easy way to clear those supplies up when it is time to eat!
Where I live we are only half way through the school summer break. It was good to be reminded by Andi that some places are getting ready to go back to school.
Just last week I received the back to school email from my son’s preschool! Perfect timing, Julie! Definitely sharing. 🙂
It is amazing how fast the summer goes and how early the organizing for the fall begins.
Julie, I love that you reminded parents “At first it takes a lot of discipline from the parent and the child . . . .” We just need to be reminded that it takes “a lot of discipline,” but the upside is that is “at first. ” Time well spent at first yields huge rewards for both the parent and the child.
Yes you’re right the rewards are worth the effort. Although it is sometimes hard to remember that at the end of a long workday, if you are a single parent and when life throws you a curve ball. Thanks for your comment.
I’ve never heard of a portable homework station, but what a brilliant idea! Wish I’d thought of it when the kids were young.
Great tips! Planning ahead can be a bit easier by writing down the steps to be accomplished on colorful sticky notes. It is fun to watch the notes disappear as you get closer to finishing the project! Each note is one small step, but it leads to success!!
I like this idea. It is really great for helping children realize how many steps there are in completing a task and helping to avoid discussions over how much time it will take. The number of post it notes will help to demonstrate if it is a quick task or something that needs more time. This would work for more than just homework. Thanks for the tip.
At the beginning of every school year I would let my kids make their own rules about when and where they would do their homework. It was much easier to get their buy-in when they made the decisions.
That system works well for some children and buy in is very important for setting routines and habits. Other children need to be offered 2 or 3 choices but letting them pick one give them control over the job.
Remembering back to when our daughters were school kids, when they came home from school, that was snack, transition, and reconnection time. After they had a break, they would first do homework before engaging in play activities. Prioritizing homework worked well because as the afternoon into evening approached, their energy levels decreased. So they used their energy on the higher concentration tasks (aka homework) before they ran out.
That was the same system at our house. In the good weather it was mandatory to play outside when they got home from school after sitting and being side most of the day.
Routine is essential for kids. I like that you gave tips on how to do homework for different children. All kids are not the same. Being present and asking the kids what works best for them will help the kids feel empowered. Thanks for sharing.
Empowering kids to take control of their learning at a young age is important so when they are on their own they have the skills to determine how, where and when to study to be successful.
Great points. So few parents remember and recognize that just as they (the adults) need a break after work before they can focus on making dinner and looking at bills, so too do the tiny humans need time to run around, get a snack, share their tales of the day, and refresh before tackling school work.
I love the mobile homework station!
I think making doing homework a habit that happens at a specif time and in a special place reduces arguments between children and parents. It gets done quicker because less time is spent on avoiding doing it.