Homework

As the parent of a pre-teenager, you may find yourself having to guide her with homework. This is an activity that many parents are not comfortable with. The main reason is that what your pre-teenager has been taught at school varies from what you have been taught. As a caring parent, you may feel that you do not know enough to guide your pre-teenager with her homework although you want to help her.

27 ways to guide your pre-teenager with her homework

• When your pre-teenager approaches you for help with her homework, remember to be supportive, caring and kind when answering. If neither of you know the answer to a question, you can sit down with her. Both of you can try to work it out together. Never get frustrated and upset if you do not find the answer. You can also consider reading through the portion a few times before explaining it to your child. What mattes most is the time spent with your child.
• Make sure you understand what the school expects from assigning your child homework. Take that extra effort to understand her school curriculum.
• Maintain a two-way communication with your child. Along with giving her instructions, listen to anything that she has to say.
• Help your child understand that it should be "homework first, play next" always.
• Avoid giving your pre-teen child choices. For example, you could tell her "Let us finish the Maths homework first." rather than saying "Do you want to do your Science homework or Maths homework first?".
• Even if you are not confident of a particular subject, encourage your pre-teenager to develop a love for the subject. This can be done by helping her with school projects and discussing the homework.
• Keep yourself informed about what is expected from your pre-teenager in her class.

Video on Helping Children with Homework

• If you are not able to guide her with a subject that she needs help, you can send her for tuitions.
• Guide her using real world examples as far as possible.
• Encourage your child to use various resources such as computers, Internet and the library in your neighbourhood to provide assistance for her homework.
• If your child does not do as well as you expect her to do, do not criticise, scold or show your disappointment to her. Instead, encourage her to do better next time.
• Tell your child to explain the homework assigned to her as you sit down to help her.
• Do not focus for long hours on a single subject. Change subjects in between and also give your child a break for about 10 minutes between a study session.
• Get your child to settle down in a place that provides the least distraction. This helps the child to concentrate more on her studies.
• Limit the television watching hours in a day.
• Encourage creative thinking and independence in your child.
• It is a good idea not to sit with your child throughout the study session. Instead, you can approach her regularly and ask her if she has any clarification. Children who function independently tend to achieve better success in the later years.
• Ask if your child has understood all that she has read and if she needs any clarification.
• Do not use your childhood or other siblings as an example for doing homework.
• You can set goals for your pre-teenager after discussing with her. Do not set them yourself. Once the goals have been set, help her to achieve the goals.
• Set up a time frame each day by when your pre-teenager is expected to finish her homework. You can also consider setting up a schedule for her to follow. As she finishes each task, ask your child to cross out the tasks completed. Setting up a daily routine is a great idea.
• Help your child to build a positive attitude towards school.
• Help your child learn new things by relating them to what she already knows and what she is currently learning.
• Sit with your child and help her finish the different subjects first. Keeping it for the end may not work out well if your child is tired.
• Find out from your child's teacher how you will be informed about her progress. Read the teacher's comments on corrected assignments and discuss the feedback with your child. You must also discuss with her about the progress you must expect from her.
• If your child tells you that she has finished her homework, take that extra step to ensure that she has actually completed her assignments and check for accuracy.
• Remember to praise her for a well-done assignment. Make sure that she is aware of the areas she has improved in.

Remember to only provide assistance to your pre-teenager with her homework. Do not complete her homework for her. It is very important for your pre-teenager to realise that the homework is her task and not her parent's. Also, do not let homework completion become a chore for your pre-teenager. Make it an activity that both your child and you look forward to.

Video on Reducing Homework Stress in Children

Are there any benefits because of the homework assigned to my pre-teenager?

The homework assigned by your pre-teenager's school teacher has the following advantages:

• Homework makes the pre-teenager practise and review the day's lessons.
• Homework can encourage the pre-teenager to be prepared for what will be taught the next day.
• Homework motivates the child to use various resources such as libraries and other references.
• Homework helps the child to explain various subjects in more detail those topics that could not be covered in the class. This is because of the time constraint.
• Homework is a positive experience and encourages learning in children.
• Homework helps your child work independently and become self-disciplined.
• Homework encourages your toddler to apply the skills learnt to a more broader level.
• Homework helps your child gain learning and organising skills.