HOW TO REDUCE HOMEWORK STRESS
Written by Jana Angeles
Your child taking homework to do every night can be stressful for them and on us. With reading assignments, multiplication tables and building hands-on projects, homework can be an unproductive nightmare when your children lack interest in the work being assigned to them. Homework may be a tedious task, however, it’s the first step to being independent with their studies and an opportunity to build on the skills they have been taught during school. Here are some ways you can take the stress off from your child and yourself and approach homework with a better mindset.
Getting a good night’s sleep
Your child getting a good night’s rest is important because they perform their best at school and in everything they do. If you’ve been lenient with your child’s sleeping habits, it’s time to set some boundaries and send them to bed earlier. This will help them get a full 9-10 hours of sleep and give them the mental energy they need to start the day. Lack of sleep can be harmful to their health and and often can lead to extreme tiredness, which can affect their concentration when attempting to do homework.
Eating a well-balanced diet
Preparing meals with lots of veggies and lean meats (chicken, beef) or fish can be a great way to help your child receive the nutrients they need. A good, well-balanced diet will not only make excellent brain food, but it can help boost their concentration and productivity levels when it comes to homework.
Make sure you’re consistent in preparing healthy meals throughout the day and avoid food or drinks with added sugar or artificial flavourings. Do your best to give them fruits to combat those sugar cravings and give them alternative healthy snacks instead of chips and other unhealthy snacks. Eating well will help them feel mentally prepared for their homework session and can reduce their stress levels.
Schedule a time-block where homework needs to get done
Before you child hits up the Xbox or computer, it’s wise to designate a time-block where they need to do homework first before undertaking any leisurely activities they look forward to after school. Designating a time-block for homework can help your child know what’s expected of them. If they try and negotiate out of their way of doing school work, take away any items of distraction and refuse to return any of them unless they have completed the work they need to do for school. This will teach them that without work, there’s no play.
Other tips:
- Communicate your expectations: If your child is struggling to do their homework or seems resentful that you have changed their routine of leisure activities, communicate what is expected of them. Tell them that homework is important because it gives teachers the opportunity to see the progress made from your child.
- Tidy up your child’s work space: Make sure when your child does homework, it is a tidy space, free from any distractions of any kind. Until they have completed the work they need to do, their work space is for school work only.
- Realise that homework can be challenging at times and that your child may not understand it: Each child is different and depending on the subject matter, they may not be able to disseminate the information easily as opposed to another student. Do your best to teach your child instead of showing frustration when they get the answer wrong in a question. Remind yourself that homework is just part of the learning process.
- Speak to your child’s teacher if you are concerned about your child’s progression: If you feel that your child is getting left behind because they simply don’t understand the work that’s been given to them through homework, speak to your child’s teacher and ask about what they are like as a student in class. Discuss what are the best ways to approach how your child can best understand learning material and go from there.
- Hire a tutor: If you simply do not have the time to look over your child’s work and would rather pay someone to do it, hire a tutor. They can help your child throughout the week when it comes to their homework and will give you less stress knowing that they are given extra guidance in their education.