Your Child's Homework Habits

 

"Homework: Because 7 hours of schoolwork wasn't enough." - Unknown

 

   We here at The Cheeky House are neck deep in the beginnings of our eldest child's homework. Being in 2nd grade, there is getting to be a little bit more, and we're still working on what is best for our 'Lil Miss to do well and get the most out of it. The Wife was the last of 5 children and her parents were pretty much done helping with homework the time she came along. I was habitual about lying that I didn't have any homework, which probably explains a lot about my high school and college grades. Wanting to break the cycle of both, we're working on some ways to help our wee ones succeed with their homework, after all that schoolwork during the day.

 

   I visited Parent.com, which had a great article 7 Ways to Establish Good Homework Habits that highlights some great ideas to make homework productive. The two that we've specifically focused in on are:

 

Designate a regular place to do homework  -  We tried the desk attached to the kids' bunk bed, and that doesn't work, unless there is supervision (not enough room). We've chosen the kitchen table. It also needs to be added that the distractions of television, siblings, doing dishes, etc. can ALL impede a good homework session.

 

Designate a regular time to do homework - Can I play first, watch a show first, or anything else first, are all ways to procrastinate. Take it from the Procrastination Champion 1981-89, if it's put off, it will not be done. That's as true with our kids as it was with me. We have our 'Lil Miss do her homework right after a quick snack so that it's done. Then she can move onto her own projects.

 

The other five ways that were great ideas are:

 

- Let your child play a role in the setting the rules.

- Observe your child's homework habits.

- Don't do your child's homework for her.

- Give positive feedback.

- Keep in touch with your child's teacher. If your child

 

   So the battle rages on, and will for some time. It's important to us that our children do better than we and our parents did. It sure feels like an uphill battle, but the above suggestions feel like a great road map to success. Now it's just keeping it up. (sigh......)

 

J.





Keeping Promises With Your Children

"Magic trick: to make people disappear, ask them to fulfill their promises." - Mason Cooley

   A promise is something that seems to its meaning over time. When we're young it floats between a method to get 15 more minutes of play time all the way to the unbreakable bond between child and a friend or parent.

   As a young boy, I questioned the strength of a promise when my parents divorced. Not understanding what divorce really meant, I can recall the fragility of any promise thereafter. I figured if the family wasn't the promise of a bond that lasted, then what was? My buddy promising we'd double date to prom was an unstable prospect, and I had a hard time finding faith in a promise from that point on.

   Fast forward to becoming a father and the definition ebbs and flows again. "I promise we can do it tomorrow" can seem hollow when a parent is just hoping the subject will be forgotten by the next day. Soon, in the blink of an eye, our little ones are calling us out on our promises and we as parents are left caught in a broken bond by our biological constituents.

   A recent promise was made to our 'Lil Miss that we would dress up her bed corner. Shadow boxes, cork board, and artwork were all included in a promise that we would put it all up. It was promised "tomorrow" for three days, until our sweet little one called us out on it, reminded us that we'd promised it for several times. The feeling between us parents was that we needed to keep the simple promises if we hopes she would trust the complex ones. It is also a lesson so that we can trust hers. So we took the time to get her little corner all set up, and the result was well worth the work. She was beaming and wanted to invite all her friends over to see it.

   It was a reminder that we're only as good as our word. While circumstances can change, I believe we need to be more careful when we're promising things to our little ones. They hold us to it and I'm trying to be true to my word more these days.

J.