Homework is often a daily struggle for children and parents alike. Motivating kids to sit down and do homework can quickly turn into a tiresome exercise in arguing, pleading, and bargaining. Instead of turning the school workload into a family struggle, teach your children about the inherent value of learning so that they become self-motivated enough to work on their own.

Why?

Make sure to offer justifiable, concrete reasons when you are inevitably asked, “Why do I need to do my homework?” For children, homework accomplishes several objectives, including:

• Reinforcing ideas learned in class.
• Improving time-management skills.
• Developing study and work habits that are used as they grow older.

Knowing the key purposes of homework is the first step to creating intrinsic motivation in young students.

How?

Incentivizing homework completion does not properly teach your children to study for their own benefit. It teaches decision-making dependency and shows your child that they can bargain for things they want.

Instead, set up a creative study-space at home for your kids. Having a vibrant, organized workspace will make it easier for kids to focus. If your kids are in the habit of turning on the TV right after school, break the habit with something more educational such as reading.

Set up a large calendar or whiteboard in your children’s study-space and help them break homework into manageable chunks. For example, have specific parts of the hour dedicated to different subjects. Be sure to include several breaks so that they don’t have to do all of their work in one sitting.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the decision to do homework should be based upon a child’s self-driven desire to do well in school. Motivation and encouragement can go a long way, whereas nagging and fighting can often lead to power struggles. Be supportive of your child’s study habits and create a structure for them to work with. After that, the rest should be up to them.

Happy reading and happy homework!