Kids and parents don’t always see eye to eye when it comes to doing homework. Kids aren’t exactly foaming at the mouth to complete their latest school assignments, but parents have to be the proverbial “bad guy” and make their kids do their schoolwork.
Obviously, parents don’t like being the bad guy, but homework is something that needs to be completed on a daily basis.
If only there were a way that parents and their kids could compromise and make homework time fun, and enjoyable!
Well, good news moms and dads, we have some helpful tips and tricks that can help you to make homework time a little more fun for you and your children:
1. Work alongside your kids
The first way to make homework time more fun is to work alongside your kids! When your kids come home from school with heaping piles of homework, try to work alongside them. No, this doesn’t mean do the assignment with or for them, we mean that you can use this time to handle some of your own personal responsibilities.
For example, when your kids are doing their homework, why not balance your checkbook? Your kids have math homework? Use this time to pay your taxes. You can do just about anything while they work. It's all about setting a precedent.
If you work at the same time as your kids, they’ll feel more supervised and can focus on their homework without feeling as though their being punished.
2. Create a fun and inviting work environment
The next way to improve homework time is to create a fun, engaging atmosphere that your kids will want to go to!
You know that feeling when you see a shady, questionable restaurant and say, “I don’t want to eat there. It doesn’t look very nice.”
Well, your kids feel the same way when they come home and see their schoolbooks resting on the table in a monotonous, plain work environment.
Get them excited about sitting down at their work station! You could decorate their work station with fun designs and color schemes. Make them excited about getting to spend time in their work station and homework time will be a breeze for them!
3. Implement a reward system
If you create a reward system for your kid, they’ll definitely be more interested in finishing their homework.
One way you could do this would be to give them a small reward each time they complete an assignment. Then they would be focused on completing as many tasks as possible. Alternatively, you could create weekly goals that culminate in a reward for them. That way they'll stay focused on long term goals through the week.
There are tons of different ideas to help motivate your kids. You could reward them with tech time, more TV time, or even a trip to the playground. The possibilities are endless.
4. Homework time is snack time
Make homework time snack time! Everyone loves delicious snacks. Your kids are no different. Prepare some tasty treats for your kids to enjoy and watch as they become more excited about homework time.
In their minds, they’ll think “Homework means yummy food!”. Think of it like Pavlov’s experiment, but tastier, more beneficial, and educational.
5. Start with a fun warm up
Starting with a fun warmup can help them to get in the right mood for homework time. No one can work to the best of their ability if they aren’t in the right groove.
Implementing a fun warm up could be perfect for your kids to loosen up before starting their schoolwork. You could warm up by playing some puzzle games, or maybe a good round of Scrabble! Try to find something that's fun but also requires wit. That'll get those precious brains warmed up.
READ: Homework tips from homeschooling moms
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