Netflix nights suddenly become homework nights and the typical evening in the family changes. Help ease the young students in your family into a simple and smooth school transition with these effective homework strategies.

1. Create a Homework Station

Decide on a room and area in your home that will be known as the "Homework Station." Having a designated area where children can work on their homework can help keep things more organized and can help improve concentration skills. Make sure the area has enough light and is stocked with plenty of supplies such as:

• Pencils and pencil sharpeners
• Erasers
• Pens
• Markers
• Paper
• Notebooks
• Bristol board
• Rulers
• Calculators
• Glue sticks
• Scissors
• Plastic folders
• Construction paper

2. Set Up a Homework Time

To further help kids get into the transition of doing their homework is to have homework time. Depending on the daily family schedule, this can either be after-school or after dinner. Try not to leave the homework time close to bedtime as your young students may become tired and frustrated quicker. 

3. Limit Distractions

Ideally, homework time should be just homework time. Help limit any potential distractions in your homes such as the noise levels from the TV and any music playing. Explain to your child that they can watch TV during a homework break or when they are finished their homework. Your child may require the use of the internet for assignments, just be sure to let them know that during homework time they can use the internet for homework reasons and not for playing games.

For the older kids and teenagers, you can refer to our 9 Back-to-School Study Tips and Tricks blog post for suggestions on healthy study habits and managing your study time efficiently.

4. Be Prepared to Help

Let your children know they are more than welcome to ask you any homework related questions if they don’t understand a question or assignment and need some clarification. Do remember not to do the homework entirely for them. Instead, teach but not tell. This can be done by offering suggestions and help with explaining. It’s not good to get into the habit of doing any homework for them as they won’t learn for themselves and won’t gain independence.

5. Positive Motivation

Sometimes children might need some motivation to help get their homework done. A form of motivation can be encouraging your child with positive feedback and let them know they are doing a great job. You can also let your child know they can watch their favourite show or play their favourite game after they have completed their homework. This can help ignite a gentle work drive in your kids to help them buckle down and get the work done.

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