Homework Math
As parents it is hard to find ways to help your kids be successful in getting their homework done. Then problem is compounded when the subject is math because of all the subjects, math can be the most challenging and difficult to a young person. In many ways math is like a foreign language because the ideas are abstract and expressed in relationships between numbers and math concepts. So anything you can do to make it easy for your child to settle in and tackle challenging math homework will be a great help to him or her.
One thing that helps a child or teenager get used to the idea of getting that homework done each night is a set schedule for when homework will be done. Young people thrive on routine and if they know what to expect each evening, the time to do homework will become a natural part of the evening. It is best to think through when the best time is for the homework. Right after the child gets home from school may not be perfect because it takes some time to settle in and be in a good mental state to take on homework. Often a time right after supper but before any recreation time is a good choice because the child is refreshed and the anticipation of fun helps them get through the tough work of doing their math assignments.
However it will pay to show some flexibility in this schedule. If the child has a social engagement on a particular evening that conflicts with the designated math homework, that is a good time to agree to allow the youngster to do their homework immediately after school to get it out of the way. The student will be motivated to do well so they can have the fun of the outing that lies ahead. Also be careful not to forgive the Friday night homework time by suspending it until some "promised time" over the weekend. If that system is tried, the student must follow through on their promise or future negotiations cannot happen.
Along with a defined time when the homework will be done, parents should think through where in the home the homework will be done. The room should be a quiet place free of distractions. However, many young people do poorly if left alone to do their homework because they get lonely or distracted. It might be a good plan to have the youngster do their homework in the family office or at a table where mom or dad are also working on paperwork. That establishes a working environment but the youth has a parent there to help out if they get stuck.
Parents have to walk a line between being partners and enforcers of the house rules particularly when it comes to helping the youngster get their math work done. But if the system is reliable and something the youth knows will be part of their evening, the sense of fulfillment of completing that homework and going to school prepared and informed for class the next day will become a feeling they look forward to having at the end of each successful math homework session.
