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When your kids reach a certain age, they will come back from school with some homework, and it’s your job to help them – which really stands for trying to keep them glued to the chair and focused. It’s as hard as it sounds, and can be a rather unpleasant thing is you don’t know how to make it fun. Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to make the whole experience a better one, for both them and for you. You just need to get a little creative.
Here are some ideas to get you on the right track.
Make it visual
It’s very easy for your child to feel overwhelmed, and the more that feeling grows, the less they are going to want to work. But by visually seeing what they have to do, it will make everything seem a lot more manageable and possible. They can also cross off what they’ve done, which feels like a great accomplishment. So make a list or a chart that is simple for them to understand, and then let them be the ones to cross it off when they’ve completed it. Pair this up with some new special pens to do this with to make it all more exciting for them.
Play the superhero card
This is like a go-to for all parents. Are your children refusing to eat their greens? – “Well the hulk definitely eats them!” It works every time. So when it comes to the homework and you see them struggling to concentrate, tell them how well their favourite superhero was at homework, and that they too, didn’t enjoy it at first, but then they realised how important it was to get good grades in order to become who they are today. You can even take it one step further by adding some superhero gadgets to the mix.
Take things outside
If the weather is playing ball, then rather than sitting inside, take it outside. Remember that your child will have been sitting in a stuffy classroom for most of the day, and part of the fun of going home is that they gain their freedom back. So try and maintain that for them. The fresh air will help them concentrate, but will also leave them feeling a lot more comfortable. You can also give them a short break to let loose and kick a ball around or have a game of catch.
Be the positive enforcement
We all know that positivity is the key. Even as adults, it helps us and makes us feel a lot better. Like when the boss tells you you’ve done a good job today – regardless of your age, it still feels awesome. So be upbeat about homework, and encourage them as much as you can. Write them inspiring little messages about how amazing they are and how good they’re working, and tell other family members about all of their achievements. Of course, making sure they hear you when you do this. As it will all work towards reinforcing how well they are doing.
* This is a contributed post.
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