This post brought to you by DairyPure Milk. The content and opinions expressed below are that of The Suburban Mom.
Getting kids to sit down to do homework everyday is task. I know, I have been there — the frustration, the nagging and even the tears. It can be very stressful. But after many battles, we established family guidelines for getting homework done that made the chore more bearable for all. Although we still have our moments, these five simple tips help keep homework stress free.
5 Tips For Stress-Free Homework Time
Establish a routine
Kids, and adults for that matter, do better when there are clear expectations of what must be accomplished. That is especially true when it comes to tackling homework. It is hard to get kids to turn off the TV to do homework once the TV is on, and for kids with busy afternoons homework must be completed around after school activities. So it is important to establish a clear routine. In our house the after school routine looks like this:
- Empty backpack/lunch box and put them away
- Snack
- Homework
- Review homework
- Return homework to backpack
- After school activity or TV time
By knowing exactly what is expected of her each day, my daughter is in control of the afternoon and making sure she completes her work. This eliminates my constant reminders to tend to homework or pulling her away from something fun to finish.
Everything in its place
Early on my daughter did homework in the kitchen, but she was constantly moving things around, searching for things she needed or being distracted by her sister. To keep things simple, and put her in the right mindset, she now does homework at her new desk. Her desk is kept stocked with all of the materials she needs to complete assignments, and since it is part of her routine she can go into her room to focus on her tasks.
Entertain Younger Sibling
Little sister wants to be part of everything big sister does, and that includes homework. Keeping her entertained and away from big sis eliminates squabbles and mom fussing – win-win. So I make it a point to do something with little sister during homework time. These days she wants to do homework too, of course. So we often make projects, play with stickers or practice tracing letters.
Because homework is a student’s chance to review what was learned in class, it is important kids understand their homework. I always give my daughter a chance to do her homework on her own, but after she completes it we review together. That gives us a chance to talk about what she is learning and make sure she “gets” it before she gets behind. If there is anything she misses we review and talk about it. We also spend this time reviewing all papers that come home from school. Because of our daily review I always know what she is working and what she might be struggling with before it becomes a problem (and a battle).
Brain Fuel
By the time my daughter comes home from school she is famished and very chatty. It is a great opportunity for me to listen and learn about her day while she snacks. (A very insightful time of day!) We rotate through snack options, but there is one constant – milk. My daughter has enjoyed a mid-day glass of milk since she was a toddler, and it is still the first thing she asks for when she gets home each day. In addition to her milk some of her favorite snacks include:
- Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Dip
- Frozen Yogurt Covered Strawberries
- Chex Mix School Fuel
- DIY Cereal Bars
- No artificial growth hormones*
- All milk is tested for antibiotics
- Continuously quality tested to ensure purity
- Only from cows fed a healthy diet
- Cold shipped fresh from your local dairy
*No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from cows treated with the artificial growth hormone rbST and non‐rbST‐treated cows.
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A snack is important; they just can’t settle down and concentrate on homework if they are hungry 🙂
This is really good milk! Making sure that the kids are not hungry and have their stomachs growling and have a snack before homework really helps with concentration. I like giving milk with whole grain crackers and fruit or peanut butter roll up sandwiches.
These are great tips for doing homework at home. It’s important to do things in the same routine each day so the child is used to it and knows what is expected of them. Great idea to review the homework, as well!
This is so timely and helpful. Can’t wait to use some of the suggestions when I help my kiddos this evening.
These are great tips! It’s always important to have a healthy snack before homework. You have to have the needed food for thought! 😉
These are very good tips…and they work! A snack is the first thing. Kids need something to eat in the afternoon (teenagers may need a whole small meal!) And Routine…routine…routine.
I know the feeling my son is 8 years old and every time he comes home from school is “can I go outside” when he knows he has to do his homework first when he gets home, but now that you have snack then homework I may try that now instead of just jump on him right for homework. I can’t deal with his whining oh my goodness he does it every time and there are no tears it’s just ridiculous sometimes LOL.
These tips will really help. I sure appreciate them. Thank YOU!!
This is a an excellent list.. Kids need a routine, and it is very important for parents to stay involved and know what the kids are doing every day.
What a great post! I find that review time is the most important step of all with my nephews. They love sharing what they’ve learned and by repeating the lesson they learned in class that day, they seem to retain it better. I also notice that taking the time to do this each day brings us closer…it lets them know that I care.
I always felt that the first thing my son wanted was to have some kind of snack,before he would settle down to do his homework!!Especially if it was a favorite of his!
This is pretty close to what we do. My kids can’t seem to function if they don’t get a snack in them before homework and chores.
Eating healthy foods is so important. My body always feels better and less stressed when I am eating good foods.
all of these suggestions are important. If you only do one or two, the other situations such as the other sibling(s) being around is too distracting!
I always give my son a snack. It’s a long day & all kids need a little energy to do hw!
We always have snacks, But I still am not getting common core!