Stop Nagging and Establish a Homework Routine That Works With These Simple Tips

Homework can be as taxing on parents of school-aged children as it is for the children themselves. Finding a way to get your child to sit down and focus on academics again after a full day of school is quite the task, and many parents struggle to find ways to motivate their kids to complete their assignments.

Some experts argue that homework should be limited and may not really be necessary for kids to achieve high academic standards. But if your child's teacher assigns any amount of homework, creating a homework routine can help make the process smoother and less intimidating for the whole family. While every child is different, we have a few tips that have worked for us (so far) when establishing a homework routine.

Find a Time That Works for Your Child

Just like adults, kids vary in what times they are the most productive. However, experts have found that generally, elementary kids do best about 30 minutes after school is over, and all kids benefit from starting homework before dinner so that they can relax in the evening hours.

My kids prefer to come home after school and have a snack and a short cuddle before delving into their work. This allows them to feel like their basic needs have been met before getting started, and they can get a solid 30 minutes of homework done.

These days, some children have activities immediately after school, and they can't get started until closer to 5 p.m. If that's what works for your kid, set that as your routine. Older kids may need even more time, but the earlier you start, the less likely you are to stay up late helping kids meet their homework deadlines.

Set Up a Designated Homework Space for Each Child

The best spaces for homework have a writing surface (table or desk), good lighting, and a chair that is comfortable enough that a child can sit for 20-30 minutes but not so comfortable that they doze off. Some kids prefer a space where some noise or other activity is going on so that they know a parent is nearby to help, while others prefer quiet.

I have found that very little homework gets done on the couch because of the proximity of the television, and homework done behind a bedroom door is done more slowly or sloppier because of the distractions of toys or other fun items in their rooms.

If you have more than one kid, it's okay (and sometimes preferable) for them to do homework in different settings. I have one kid who works best at the dining table, where we did e-learning during COVID, and another who likes a table in the basement.

Make sure each location has everything a child needs to do his or her homework, including pencils or pens, paper, a calculator, and any necessary math equipment, such as a protractor or compass.

Use a Planner to Write Down and Prioritize Assignments

When starting homework with elementary-aged kids, make sure they are writing down all of their assignments in a notebook or planner. Making a habit of writing down assignments helps kids start thinking about being responsible for their work.

At the beginning of homework time, talk to your kid about which assignment is hardest and/or will take the longest. Usually, starting with that assignment is best. Knowing they have already finished the most difficult assignment will help them complete the remaining homework. After a year or so of this routine, your child should be able to do this on their own.

For bigger projects with longer deadlines, help your kid decide how to divide up the work. My daughter often comes home with a four to five-page packet of math problems that are due a week after she receives them. I usually encourage her to break it up into one-page segments so she has a day or two of leeway in case she runs out of time on one of the days. As kids get older, allow them to have the responsibility of dividing up tasks into manageable pieces on their own if they're able.

Allow Some Variety and Breaks

The average attention span of school-aged kids ranges from 16-24 minutes for a 7- or 8-year old to about 50 minutes for a 16-year-old. You're really pushing a kid's limits if you're asking them to focus on the same topic for more than 20-30 minutes. So if you allow your child to put a pin in one project and come back to it later, or get up and take a break to play with a sibling or walk around the block, you'll probably see better results.

When they first start getting homework, ask them to try to focus on one task for 20 minutes and then move on to something else. As they get older, they should get used to paying attention for a little bit longer each grade until they can complete any assigned homework before the next logical break (like dinner or bedtime).

This is especially important if you have a child who is much more interested in one subject than another. My math-averse child gets much more done and resents math less when they know they only have to work on math for 20 minutes and then can work on reading for a while.

Be sure to check in with your child's teacher if you think the amount of time they spend on homework is more than what seems appropriate for their age. Many experts recommend 10 minutes per grade per day, from 10 minutes for first graders up to two hours for seniors in high school.

Incentivize Good Homework Habits and De-incentivize Procrastination

Natural consequences of good habits are the best motivators for most kids to get their homework done. Often, completing homework on time means they have time to do something else later, like watch a favorite TV show, go out for ice cream, or play a video game. And our kids know that if we can't trust them to do their homework without a lot of drama and carrying on, we won't allow them to have friends over after school or sign up for more time-consuming activities.

If simple natural consequences aren't enough to motivate your kid, you can come up with a more elaborate system of incentives. Break this down into small goals, like writing down your assignments every day for a week, starting your homework before 4 p.m. for three consecutive days, or completing a long-term assignment before the deadline.

For each goal met, give a point, and after a designated number of points are earned, allow your kid to have a special treat or gift, like a trip to an arcade or a dinner at their favorite restaurant. Hopefully, you can celebrate small victories and create lifelong habits of responsibility.

Learn What Works Best for Your Kid

While these tips for building a homework routine may work well for your family, remember that every child is different and has different abilities. When it comes to routines, expectations, and motivation, what will work is going to vary for each child. This is especially true if you have a child with a learning disability.

Don't become discouraged if it takes a little bit of time to find out what works well – instead, keep trying and celebrate the small wins along the way.

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