When your child comes to you with a homework assignment, helping them can sometimes feel like a daunting task. As a parent, it’s important to find balance, supporting your child’s learning without doing the work for them. This post offers four strategies parents can use to assist their child with homework in a way that builds strong study habits and independence:
1. Ask open-ended questions
Don’t tell—ask questions instead!
Prompt them to think critically about a task by asking questions like “What do you think the first step should be?” or “Do you have any ideas for how we can visualize two groups of five?”
Encouraging them to try out potential solutions is important, even if they’re wrong, as it allows them to learn from their mistakes.
2. Break down tasks into smaller steps
Break up hefty assignments into manageable chunks!
After writing out each section of the assignment on a to-do list, you can estimate how long each task will take and create a homework schedule for the night.
If they have a longer task to complete, you can break it down into weekly steps. For example, for a science project, the following steps may apply: choose a topic, make observations, finalize the hypothesis, design the experiment, conduct the experiment, analyze data and draw conclusions, and create the poster board.
This approach makes the work feel less overwhelming and helps your child stay organized and focused, introducing them to crucial time management skills.
3. Take breaks
Sometimes, stepping away from an assignment can help us see the big picture more clearly!
If your child is struggling with a particular question, encourage them to take a 15-minute break. This will help them (and you!) avoid feelings of frustration. Ultimately, we don’t want any unnecessary conflicts or tears at the dinner table.
A quick snack or a few minutes of lounging on the couch can do wonders for their motivation, and you’ll both come back to the assignment with a fresh perspective.
4. Get help when you need it
You might not know how to help them with a certain subject, and that’s okay! After all, elementary and middle school were a long time ago.
Fortunately, Education.com has a wealth of lesson plans to refresh your memory. Whether you’re looking for a walkthrough on dividing fractions or a summary of potential and kinetic energy, these lesson plans offer explanations and step-by-step instructions parents can use to teach a new subject to their child.
Looking for more learning resources for the new school year? Click through the Education.com Learning Library featuring 37,000+ printable worksheets, hands-on activities, and online games for grades PreK through 8th.
