Setting Up Your Child's Homework Routine

With school being back in session and homework starting to be assigned, it might be useful to provide parents with some tips to make homework more manageable and ease some of the stressors involved. These tips can be modified to fit your child’s needs and routine.

1. Best time: Pick a time where both parent and child can devote 30-45 minutes to homework with minimal interruptions. It doesn’t mean that you will work all 30-45 minutes without a break; you may want to plan a break if you or your child need one in between assignments. It’s also helpful if you give your child a snack before doing any homework…we don’t want them getting hangry!
2. Priming (Parent): Review the homework before you do anything else. This is crucial because sometimes teachers assign homework that we as parents have to Google to gain a better understanding. This will help you and your child feel less frustrated and it will also maximize your time.
3. Environmental Arrangements: Arrange the area where you will be working on homework with all the materials needed to complete your child’s work (i.e., crayons, pencils, scissors, glue, paper, etc.). Minimize the distractions in the environment by turning off the TV, removing the iPad from the immediate work area or making sure you aren’t trying to multi-task by cooking dinner as you do homework.
4. Do a preference assessment: Find out what your child wants to earn after homework. This might mean they may want to play an extra 30 minutes on the computer, stay up an extra 15 minutes watching their favorite TV show, play or read with you. The reinforcer/activity should be child-chosen. Trust me, it works for young ones and adolescents as well…My teens love staying up an extra 30 minutes to watch a tv show or hang out and talk!
5. Start off with preferred topics/assignments: If your child really enjoys math, start off with math and then move on to a lesser preferred topic and back to a preferred topic. This helps with building behavioral momentum.
6. Praise: Most children and adolescents enjoy praise. How praise looks for each child really depends on what they like, but give positive statements for all the great skills you see your child engage in. Even if they can’t solve a problem, at least they are trying.
7. Take breaks as needed: Breaks can come in handy, as it may be beneficial to practice having your child communicate their needs before they engage in a tantrum or have a meltdown. So, gauge your child and if you see that any indicators that demonstrate frustration, then offer a break or have them take a break to help you with a different activity. More often than not, our children want to keep trying, even when they are on the verge of tears, but we want to help them out by having them step away from a task when they experience a mental block…we all do this, even as adults. Also, breaks can be as short as a minute or as long as 5 minutes.
8. Reinforce: Most importantly, reinforce your child for doing their homework. Remember, if we want to increase a behavior in the future, then we have to reinforce it. Don’t forget to reinforce yourself; you are also working along with your child to ensure their success.

Elizabeth Gudiel, M.A., BCBA
Clinical Director, Salt Lake City