And the more fun kids have with it, the more addictive it will be. But learning should be much more enjoyable than washing dishes and taking out the trash. Sometimes, things just need to be done –homework included. Not everything in life is fun, of course, and kids need to understand this. It may take extra time on our part to be creative (and we’re all short on time, I know), but we’ll bank time later when they’re interested enough to cooperate and start imagining on their own. Cheese’s? ), so try to encourage some imagination when your kids are just staring at numbers. Lots of interesting, real life-examples can come into play through math (like How Can You Win Every Prize at Chuck E. If your junior high student is dreading his science project but really loves Star Wars, help him brainstorm project themes that play to this interest–like the concept of traveling at light speed–that he can embellish with his favorite Star Wars characters and stories. Later, while serving the family an eclectic dinner representing the food groups–and their rainbow of colors–she can proudly explain what she’s learned. While she studies each food group, she can help plan that night’s dinner menu. Maybe your second grader is reading about food groups for a book report. To give them a dose of practicality, consider associating school lessons with family activities. Especially when kids ask, “When will I ever use this in the real world? This is useless.” I know–you’re wondering how you could ever make thirty algebra equations even remotely intriguing or fun. Or, at the very least, that it can be interesting. Whenever possible, instill the idea that homework can actually be fun. Yet, the homework still needs to get done. It’s understandably the last thing kids want to do after a long day of school. The most common reason for homework avoidance is that it feels too much like a chore. Sometimes it can be quite helpful (like for some kids with ADHD), but other times, even soothing music disrupts a child’s concentration.įewer distractions simply equates to higher quality work –and less time spent doing it! 2. The more we do so during study hours, however, the more our students can truly concentrate on the tasks at hand.Īlso, if we’re in the habit of playing background music while our students study, we should make sure to ask if it is helping or distracting them. It may be an obvious solution, but in our technologically-inundated households it’s becoming increasingly harder to remove diversions like cell phones, iPads, and TV. While there can be multiple reasons for this avoidance, we can combat it by removing distractions. We know that one of the biggest problems with homework isn’t our kid’s inability to do the work. “Riley, If you stopped goofing off, you’d already be finished with your reading assignment!” “Alex, please just focus on your homework for 10 minutes!” If we want our children to be self-motivated for success, instilling the following 7 study habits is a great place to start. Learning these skills might even assist them in all of life’s responsibilities and challenges. It also takes diligence and determination. But wouldn’t it be wonderful?Ĭonsidering that most kids aren’t going to fall head-over-heels for homework and studying anytime soon, what is–realistically–the best thing that we can do to help them?ĭoing well in school, no matter the grade, takes a good set of habits. Okay, maybe that’s a parent’s pipe-dream. We want them to make smart, motivated choices (see our Ultimate Guide to Motivating Your Kids!).
Now that we’re older and wiser–and understand the long-term payoff of homework and studying–we want our kids to have a different attitude towards schoolwork. We dreaded huge papers and intimidating tests. We chose to play outside with friends rather than finish our math homework. During our school days of yore, many of us were late-night crammers and school-project procrastinators.
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