Homework Relief: Kids Corner

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, October 28 and December 16, 2007

Show 424

It's easy for your child to feel overwhelmed by homework. And when that happens, naturally you want to give them a hand. But there's a fine line between helping them with homework and doing it for them. Start with scheduling time for homework during the afternoon, so it's not left until right before bed. And make yourself available during homework time in case your child has any questions. Become familiar with your child's assignments, but don't interfere by telling them how they should do it. Your child benefits from knowing that he's finished a task on his own. The longer an assignment takes, the more frustrated your child may become. Allow her to take a ten minute break to play in the backyard or grab a snack. When she finally does finish that big project or book report, look over her work. If you find a mistake like a spelling error, don't criticize or point out the errors first. Compliment her on a job well done before making corrections. Homework can be a great time to talk with your child about what they've been learning in school or to share their enthusiasm about a subject. And remember, you don't have all the answers so work together to solve a problem. You'll both learn something new.