Homework Routine Tips

One of the most common concerns that comes up among parents is the family stress caused by homework.

A recent study by Scholastic found that the number one reason kids over the age of eight stop reading for pleasure is too much homework!

Too much homework can also easily become an added source of stress for the entire family. If your child’s homework is stressing you out, no doubt it is stressing out your kids, and this added stress does not lead to intellectual curiosity – it leads to burnout!

According to the National PTA guidelines, beginning in first grade, children should do no more than 10 minutes of homework a night per grade level. A reasonable amount of assigned homework can be an excellent way for schools to help teach our kids responsibility.

Creating a healthy routine for the homework early in the year can help to diminish stress both for you and your child.

Routine is key. Regardless of the age of your child, try to pick a consistent time and place for homework.

9 Tips for Surviving Homework:

1. Time: For elementary age kids choose a time before the family dinner. Often kids need time after school to play with friends or get some exercise before returning to schoolwork. If possible, save all after dinner time for connecting, relaxing, and easing into the bedtime routine.
   
   When kids approach adolescence their brain may be more suited for after dinner schoolwork. Encourage them to set aside a designated amount of time just for homework (no Snapchat, texting, or social media – their brain is much more efficient and effective when it is focused on one thing at a time). When they are finished they can then reconnect with friends.
   
   
2. Place: Choose a place that is free from distractions like TV noise, or a pesky younger sibling. Ideally, homework can be completed in a central room like the kitchen or dining room so you can check in, help answer any questions, and monitor the use of the computer if it is required for homework.
   
   
3. Make it fun! If possible, try to have a day early in the week where the kids have no scheduled activities and make it your big homework day. Often teachers will assign a week’s worth of homework at the beginning of the week. Make it a routine to head to your local pizzeria or grill burgers, and the kids can crank out as much homework as they can for the week. This eases homework stress for the rest of the week and when you are all done, enjoy some ice cream sundaes or some other kind of treat!
   
   
4. Monitor the time. Your child should not be spending more than 10 minutes a night per grade level starting in 1st grade (according to guidelines set by the National PTA). If homework is taking too long it is worth talking to your child’s teacher about an alternate plan. When the homework load becomes stressful for your child (or for you) it is likely doing more harm than good. A timer is a helpful tool for this - especially with elementary school kids. 
   
   
5. Get help when you need it! Often when children have learning challenges or struggle with a certain subject homework can quickly become a nightmare both for you and for them. Kids often respond much better to a tutor than to their own parents. Life will hand you plenty of power struggles between you and your child. Try to keep your relationship with your child around schoolwork as positive as possible.
   
   
6. Take breaks. The thought of sitting down for 40 minutes of homework can feel overwhelming for some kids. See if they can work for 15 or 20 minutes, take a quick break and do something fun for 10, then return to homework. A timer will help kids monitor themselves. 
   
   
7. Try Mindful Listening! Mindful Listening stimulates the part of our brain that helps us pay attention. A short practice before homework can help kids focus and work more efficiently. Check out this video, led by a great teacher trained in our Mindful Life Schools method, to see how it’s done.
   
   
8. Do it differently. We all learn differently. Maybe you can practice multiplication facts or spelling while playing catch outside, or practice oral reading by reading the lyrics of a favorite song (all can be found on youtube). All kids learn differently!
   
   
9. Try Mindful Breathing! For some kids homework can trigger the stress response in the brain making it extremely difficult for them to access their prefrontal cortex (the part of their brain that helps them concentrate and solve problems). Taking a few mindful breaths with the breathing sphere calms the stress response, creating a brain that is ready to learn!

PS. If you’re a teacher, please feel free to share our tips with the parents of the students in your class. Starting the school year out in collaboration with your parent community is a great way to have an amazing school year. Homework is a big stressor for both parents and students, so letting parents know you understand and giving them tools to de-stress can help immensely. If you want to bring more mindfulness tools into your classroom, check out our Mindfulness Programs for Teachers.