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.





Helping With Homework

"All work and no play make Jack a dull boy." - The Shining

   The above quote is EXACTLY what I thought when my 'Lil Miss's teacher showed me her daily journal upon a quick visit one day. My first thought was Jack's work from The Shining. Once past my fear of my 7YO chasing me through the hotel maze with an axe, it made me giggle. Then it made me stare and wonder why she was writing at a descending angle. I was told of some things I could work on with my 'Lil Miss at home, for writing, letters, math, etc. 

   We've recently been working on word spacing and some correct letter shapes. For awhile I thought she'd created her own Elvish language that I wasn't privy too. Alas, no language that floats on the air. Just a lot of reinforcement work at home. 

   My new panic is the for the years to come. How will I handle the periodic table again? Kids are now doing Algebra much sooner than I did. How am I supposed to help with something I wasn't that good at? I'm thinking it'll land somewhere between mom, tutors, my 'Lil Miss's genius mind, and me relearning everything as she does just to help her. 

   I think the key is trying to be a part of it all. I help out once in a blue moon in my 'Lil Miss's classroom. In helping to grade, or test spelling, it's clear that there's a Bell curve. Some kids are quicker and some are slower. It's the kids that are slower for no reason but apathy in the home that bothers me. Some kids should be doing great, but then you see them look at the teacher at open house like "should I care?" Oh, brother. So keep on helping out, even when you're tired, hungry, fed up, and the other kids won't let you get anything done. Help your children with homework. The habit will pay in dividends we can and cannot comprehend. 

J. 

Homework With Your Children

"I don't love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful." - Natalie Portman

   So the end of the week finds The Wife and I trying to hide our enthusiasm to dig through our eldest's backpack in search of her test scores. Specifically, the two that are regular are a spelling test and a timed reading score. I can only compare it to a scratch off lottery ticket, with the excitement building. However, this is where we win every time. Our 'Lil Miss is very competitive, but also LOVES her play time. We've had to try difference things to keep her interested in homework and study time.

   We crashed and burned when we let her come home and play first. Disaster! We'd always run out of time and she never wanted to stop playing to do it. I felt like I was taking my first dog to the veterinarian.

TIP: We tried a old tried and true method of getting some homework done right after school.

   It works great. With the knowledge that she can play after and not have to stop again to work on her words or reading, she powers through. At one point last week, she actually asked if she could finish the remainder of her homework so that she could go straight to playtime after school. The Wife and I were beside ourselves.

   Some additional resources:
 - The U.S. Department of Education - General Homework Tips for Parents
 - Circle of Moms - our friends over at the circle have and article, "7 Fixes for the Homework Battle"
 - Scholastic - The article is "Homework for Kids", and point #2 is our play. Oh, and look! There's a dad helping with homework in the photo. Go dad!

   The the quote at the top sums up my own personal experience. I really hated studying, but LOVED learning. Try to figure out how that works for you children with their homework. Instead of repetitious math problems on paper, I poured out the change jar and we worked on our 1s and 10s with pennies and dimes.
   You can do it.

J.