Here’s a 3-point plan to get kids to do their own homework
By John Rosemond, Tribune News Service
Q: The school our 10-year-old daughter attends believes parents should micromanage homework sessions — they call it “being a homework buddy.” As a consequence, our daughter believes we should help her with her assignments. Mind you, we’re willing to help when help is truly needed, but we don’t want to be our daughter’s “buddies” under any circumstances. What are your thoughts on this?
A: Yes, it is possible to get children to do their own homework, even in the face of teachers who want parents to be “homework buddies.” My three-point plan:
First: Do not allow a child to do homework at the kitchen table or in any other family area. Make it clear that homework, being the child’s responsibility, is to be done in the child’s room. Parents should make sure the child has a suitable work area stocked with appropriate homework supplies: paper, pencils and/or pens, crayons, a ruler, etc. Rule of thumb: When homework is done in a family area, homework will become a family affair, thus diminishing its benefit to the child in question.
Second: Limit the number of times per evening you will render assistance to the child, and limit the length of any such rendering. For example, when our children were of school age, my wife and I made a rule that we would not provide help with more than three homework problems per evening, nor would any one such “helpful occasion” exceed five minutes.
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Parents should make sure a child has a suitable work area stocked with appropriate homework supplies.
Third: Hold children responsible for their school performance. Just as negative consequences befall irresponsible adults, so should negative consequences befall children who do not accept their responsibilities. Lessons in real life should begin early, lest they come too late.
When all is said and done, the “I am NOT your homework buddy” system described above amounts to nothing more than proper discipline, which has forever been and will always be the key to a child’s success in school.
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A few weeks before classes kick off, remove everything from your pantry and cupboards. Check each item for an expiration date and toss anything that’s past its prime. Update your shopping list with items to restock, and reorganize each shelf—grouping categories of similar items together and leaving a little extra room to prevent overcrowding later. Do the same in the fridge, leaving shelf or drawer space for perishable lunch staples like deli meat, cheese and yogurt.
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A few weeks before classes kick off, remove everything from your pantry and cupboards. Check each item for an expiration date and toss anything that’s past its prime. Update your shopping list with items to restock, and reorganize each shelf—grouping categories of similar items together and leaving a little extra room to prevent overcrowding later. Do the same in the fridge, leaving shelf or drawer space for perishable lunch staples like deli meat, cheese and yogurt.
As you clean the pantry and cupboards, set aside any and all glass and plastic tubs — whether they’re oddball takeout containers or part of a set. Match lids to bottoms and recycle any that have lost their partner. “File” the containers and their lids in a deep drawer, for easy access.
As you clean the pantry and cupboards, set aside any and all glass and plastic tubs — whether they’re oddball takeout containers or part of a set. Match lids to bottoms and recycle any that have lost their partner. “File” the containers and their lids in a deep drawer, for easy access.
Somewhere in or near the kitchen, gather important papers, a calendar, pens, school information and files. “We keep keys in a cup at the station, too, and any important in-process information,” says home-cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk. Designating a spot for things like permission slips or to-be-completed homework makes it easier to stay on top of the piles. “When everything has a home,” she adds, “it’s easy for everyone to find what they need — and even easier to put it away.”
Somewhere in or near the kitchen, gather important papers, a calendar, pens, school information and files. “We keep keys in a cup at the station, too, and any important in-process information,” says home-cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk. Designating a spot for things like permission slips or to-be-completed homework makes it easier to stay on top of the piles. “When everything has a home,” she adds, “it’s easy for everyone to find what they need — and even easier to put it away.”
As you’re prepping the kitchen, label an area for snacks (a container in the pantry and fridge will do). Pre-portion treats for after-school noshing, and set some ground rules; perhaps everybody gets one piece of fruit and one crunchy snack each afternoon. Food blogger Melanie Gunnell also reserves certain food for lunch: “I designate a drawer in my fridge that’s ‘off-limits’ for general snacking. It seems silly, but with five growing children in my home, it doesn’t take much for them to eat up everything in sight—and when we go to pack lunches, the options are long gone.”
As you’re prepping the kitchen, label an area for snacks (a container in the pantry and fridge will do). Pre-portion treats for after-school noshing, and set some ground rules; perhaps everybody gets one piece of fruit and one crunchy snack each afternoon. Food blogger Melanie Gunnell also reserves certain food for lunch: “I designate a drawer in my fridge that’s ‘off-limits’ for general snacking. It seems silly, but with five growing children in my home, it doesn’t take much for them to eat up everything in sight—and when we go to pack lunches, the options are long gone.”
Rapinchuk plans a week’s worth of dinners on Friday, before her big weekly shopping trip. “I swear by my recipe binder, where I keep a running list of favorite meals,” she says. “I rotate through the favorites and add a new recipe or two each week.” She also maintains a running shopping list to keep track of miscellaneous items. When putting together a menu, think about more than what the kids will eat. “I try to be realistic about our schedule, my motivation level and everyone’s sanity,” says Gunnell.
Rapinchuk plans a week’s worth of dinners on Friday, before her big weekly shopping trip. “I swear by my recipe binder, where I keep a running list of favorite meals,” she says. “I rotate through the favorites and add a new recipe or two each week.” She also maintains a running shopping list to keep track of miscellaneous items. When putting together a menu, think about more than what the kids will eat. “I try to be realistic about our schedule, my motivation level and everyone’s sanity,” says Gunnell.
As summer comes to an end, it doesn’t hurt to stock the freezer with dinner options — and even lunch items — that you can thaw and serve a few weeks down the road. When you make a meal, double the recipe and freeze a portion. It’ll save the day on a busy school night.
(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)
As summer comes to an end, it doesn’t hurt to stock the freezer with dinner options — and even lunch items — that you can thaw and serve a few weeks down the road. When you make a meal, double the recipe and freeze a portion. It’ll save the day on a busy school night.
(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)
