Regular Routines And Homework Harmony
In the first three tracks of this email series, we covered how teaching your child the social skills of making friends, resisting peer pressure and respecting adult authority can help them be successful in school, both in their behaviors and academically. In this final track, we’ll focus on two more important strategies for helping your child find academic success – following a school-year routine and completing homework – that can build on the foundation of social skills you create.
Reading, Writing… and Routines!
Despite their complaints, kids want structure in their lives. They want to know what they should do, when they should do and how they should do it. Establishing routines covers all these bases and can help make the school year go smoother for you and your child.
At Bedtime
Getting children to go to bed so they get enough sleep to get up for school on time can sometimes be a real challenge.
A good bedtime routine involves quiet activities that are done in the same order every night. For example, have a snack, put on pajamas, brush teeth, go to the bathroom and read one book. Make the activities age-appropriate for your child, and make sure the routine remains the same every night because getting it started lets your child know bedtime is approaching.
Set aside roughly the same amount of time for this routine every night. If you are like most families, your evenings are busy; keeping the routine relatively short will ensure that your child has enough time to complete it every night.
In the Morning
Regardless of their age, getting children to get up and ready for school in the morning can be just as challenging as getting them to bed at night.
A morning routine should follow the same general structure as a bedtime routine: a set of activities done in the same order. Get children up at the same time every day. Have them get dressed, eat a healthy breakfast and brush their teeth before heading out the door. (A good time-saving idea is to have your child lay out their clothes and make sure they have everything they need in their backpack before they go to bed.)
You can also lay down some ground rules for using phones and other technology in the morning. For example, your child can watch television only after they are up, dressed and have eaten breakfast.
Once your child has followed a morning routine for a few weeks, it will become second nature, and your entire household will be more efficient for it.
When your child gets “into the groove” and starts consistently and correctly following these routines, be sure to praise them and give them occasional rewards. A little praise can go a long way toward prompting good behavior.
Homework Rules!
While homework may seem like drudgery, studies show (and common sense supports) that doing assignments and studying at home can help improve a child’s performance in school. Here are some tips for helping your child get their homework done regularly and correctly:
- Establish a central homework location, such as the kitchen table or a desk in your child’s room, where your child has everything they need to complete the assigned work (reference books, pencils, internet access, etc.).
- Keep the area as quiet as possible during study time. This means no phones, TV or other electronic distractions.
- Set aside a specific amount of time for studying and homework each school night. For elementary school students, this is usually 30 to 45 minutes; for middle school students, it’s 45 to 75 minutes; and for high school students, it’s 60 to 90 minutes or more.
- Make sure your children start study time on time. You can be somewhat flexible if an unforeseen situation arises, but it’s important that your children understand that homework is their responsibility and must be completed.
- Divide study time into shorter periods for children who have difficulty concentrating. Brief breaks can help them concentrate when they return to their homework.
- Schedule study time early. Your child is more likely to complete homework if they work on it before dinner or any leisure activities, such as watching TV or playing video games.
- Always set aside a time for other learning and reading. If your child says they don’t have homework that day, you should still have them use study time to read — even if it’s just a sports or fashion magazine. The idea is to make reading, and learning, a lifelong habit.
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