This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission your purchase at no cost to you. Feel free to check my disclosure and terms for more info!
You’re sitting at the kitchen table for what seems like the 6th hour of the 30 minutes of homework. Your child isn’t concentrating and constantly trying to cajole you into doing the work FOR them. Is mom helping with homework not helping either of you?
Does this ring a bell?
Homework time can easily turn into torture time.
Somehow, even worse for the mom than the child, I think. I don’t remember hating homework NEAR as much as a kid as I do as a mom.
But, I have learned a trick that has made things a little easier.
And I learned it from my college professors (I also learned it on an awesome podcast that I can’t remember where, I think it was somehow tied to Power of Moms).
But first, if your’e struggling with kids doing homework — I have a whole chapter about in my course Family Routines. We talk more about the technique I talk about in this post — and more. I think you’ll love it — in fact, I guarantee it. Join for a month, or a year — you can cancel at any time — you can even save 10% with code PC10.
Office Hours.
Having a set time period that I am able to help.
For me, that’s 3:30 to 4. You’ll need to set what’s appropriate for your own house. My older boys don’t ask for much help (and hence I am more flexible with their office hours). And obviously, this may need to adjust according to assignments, etc. BUT, my first grader can easily finish her homework in half an hour (at least the table stuff, she has reading on top of that).
I have one particular child with 2 X chromosomes who like to lie on the table and whine that EVERYTHING IS SO HARD. But, she’s a bright girl, things aren’t that hard. She’s just ornery. I can see why she is, but it’s important for me to fulfill my obligations.
I plop myself and my laptop down at the table. She seems to stay on task better if I am working too. I am available for questions and to help her stay on task. But just that 1/2 an hour. After that, I pack up and I’m done. She’s on her own.
Anyway, it might be something you could implement at your house!
Also, I am also looking for tips on how to get teachers to cut down on homework. No one seems to listen. I give a good effort, it seems like, every quarter. She’s not getting smarter, she’s just learning to hate homework.
Hi! Just a thought, have you tried skipping homework all together ?? I have quite a few friends who have told their teachers right from the beginning of the school year that they didn’t believe in all that extra homework and to not expect them to be complete. 🤷♀️ I mean, I don’t know if they get graded for that but I feel like we want to teach our kids to love to learn.
I wish you the best and hope you can get through to those teachers !!
So, my problem there is that I want my kids to respect and do what the teacher has asked, and they have never backed off and said “ok” — so I’ve gone the route of respect of authority….
Andi Nicole Horstkotte says
Hi! Just a thought, have you tried skipping homework all together ?? I have quite a few friends who have told their teachers right from the beginning of the school year that they didn’t believe in all that extra homework and to not expect them to be complete. 🤷♀️ I mean, I don’t know if they get graded for that but I feel like we want to teach our kids to love to learn.
I wish you the best and hope you can get through to those teachers !!
Hilary Erickson says
So, my problem there is that I want my kids to respect and do what the teacher has asked, and they have never backed off and said “ok” — so I’ve gone the route of respect of authority….