You’re not only a parent – you’re a supplementary teacher, too. When the kids come home from school with homework, you’re the one they’ll turn to in their time of need.
You wouldn’t have it any other way because you want to ensure your kids are on the right track. After all, knowledge is power, and falling behind early may impact their lives in the long-term.
Here’s how to encourage your children in school and be a homework helper.
Start Them Off On The Right Track
It’s not healthy for kids to complete homework only for it to be wrong and have to start again. Aside from wasting time, it also impacts their confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, the best tactic is to sit down with your son or daughter and walk them through the first question. That way, you know they are doing it right.
Then, leave them to their devices and let them complete the rest on their own. By doing this, you’ll empower them to learn and understand the dynamics of the subject.
Make Space Close To You
Part of the reason parents lose patience and give the answers is that you are busy. Constantly walking from the kitchen to the living room is annoying you, and it forces you to take drastic measures. At least the homework will be done and you’ll have time to finish off the chores. Of course, the kids won’t learn anything, so it’s the worst thing you can do.
Instead, you should create a workspace close to where you’re doing your errands. Then, you can glance over their shoulder and offer support without stopping what you’re doing.
Have A Plan
Are you anxious about complicated questions that you don’t understand? You’re the adult and are expected to know the answers, yet even eighth-grade math is hard! Thankfully, algebra 2 textbook answers are available online. However, you need a plan if you want to be organized. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time searching the internet for help rather than focusing on the subject.
A basic-yet-useful plan is to spend five minutes reading the questions together before breaking the homework into bite size chunks.
Say “Well Done”
When kids feel helpless, you feel bad. As a result, you’re more likely to step in to help them out of a sticky situation. Sadly, parents are susceptible to this emotion because no Mom enjoys watching their children struggling. The urge to give them a clue is strong, but you can resist it by praising your kids when they do something right. By doing this, you’ll reinforce the fact that they can finish tasks without your assistance, meaning they’ll be more confident.
With kids, it’s all about showing them that projects aren’t as complicated as they appear.
How do you strike a balance between helping with homework and not doing it for them?
