Dec 05, 2001 08:59 AM
3979 Views
(Updated Dec 05, 2001 10:07 AM)
There is at least one thing at school that all of my children got really unhappy about and all four voiced their opinion about it. And that was not the bullies, or the food, or the teachers, or the friends or the clothes or the lunchboxes. No it was something much more important to them. It was something that would actually make them study, do better in school, take up there after school time. As my 7 year old son says “It makes me very sad to have to do this everyday Mama!
What is this thing that makes my children unhappy you ask? Well I will tell you! It’s HOMEWORK! And trust me when I tell you it makes me unhappy as well. I mean I have to make sure they do it! I have to go way back in time and actually remember how to do it! I have to ensure that they get a great education and that just breaks my heart! NOT! I really enjoy it. And one of the best ways I have found to encourage my children other than the normal “You get your homework done or no snacks” or “No Homework, No TV” or “Your are grounded if you don’t do your homework right now!” is work with them by making it fun. Giving them a routine. Set some rules that they will grow up knowing and will follow.
Our House Rules My children are allowed to get settled, a little bit when they get in from school. They can have a snack and something to drink, and go to the bathroom if they need to. We always go over the day’s events and what was the highlight and down fall (if any) of the day.
Homework Hints Create a routine. Help you child find a time and place to do their homework. Keep the TV off and limit distractions. (Now I have to say here that as my girls got older they were able to listen to the TV or radio and get their homework done. I suppose we were all like this when we were that age.) Get involved with your child’s homework time. Talk about the assignment. Help with the first question or two and make sure they finish all their homework.
Be a role model by using homework time to read or catch up on paying bills. Every day when my son gets home he will find me working on a Bible lesson or looking at the days mail and he will join me in my room. I will tell him what I am working on when he asks and he always does (he gets a kick out of mama doing homework, which encourages him to do his homework) and then I will ask to see his daily work and we go over his homework. He sits on the bed with me and we both do our homework. I always keep an open ear to him and correct him along the way as needed. I am always available to answer his questions and help with a word or two.
Motivate your child. Give them something to look forward to if they finish their homework. For instance: they may want to go play or watch a favorite TV show. Let them know and be sure they understand that in order to do these things they have to finish their homework first. Show your pride in your child. Nothing says “You did a great job!” like proudly using or displaying your child’s projects. (You should see my refrigerator! I think it is white!) I also have some drawings that my children have done in frames hanging on my walls.
In my bedroom I have a finger painting that my son did, that is very colorful (and I have no idea what it is) but it’s beautiful and it hangs in my bedroom where I can see it everyday. We also have a bulletin board that we keep schedules on and lunch menus.
Help them learn to read. Don’t just assume that the teacher can do it all. You have to do your part as well. My son has to read every night for 20 minutes, then he has to write the title, author and how many pages as well as one or two sentences about the story. Help them sound out the words as they read to you. My son loves reading to me. I think it’s wonderful!
Getting Ready for a Test We all dread taking test. Children are no exception to that rule. My son has a spelling test every Friday. During the week we study his spelling words daily, and he has to write sentences with each one or sometimes he has to put them in ABC order. These are good examples in helping him to learn to spell his spelling words.
Let your child assist you in marking the calendar on the day the test is going to be. My son and I, while I fix his lunch or even his breakfast will go over his spelling words each morning. Try to avoid any type of conflict the night before a test. Such as the fact their bedroom is not cleaned or the toys were left in the living room floor. Try to encourage your child to clean up after them selves and at the same time help them to do so and ask them to spell a word a long the way. This will sometimes make clean up time a happier time for both of you.
If your child is older and has harder test, remind them to put the harder questions off until last. To concentrate on the questions they do know and to read each question carefully. Advise them that it is okay to re-read the question several times if they have to. Tell them to not write a hasty response and to write neatly. If a teacher can’t read the answer then the answer could be counted wrong. Help your younger children when learning to write. They will develop their own writing style just like you did.
Keeping it Simple I found out that staying cool was the simplest thing and the best thing to do. When the homework time becomes a fighting time, simply tell your child you love them and want them to grow up to be smart, and by doing so they will get a good job, provide well for their own families, and skipping homework is not an option. It is part of their education and skipping on education is not an option either. Stick to this simple rule. You don’t have to scream and yell it either. Stay calm with your child, you both will better for it.
How I feel about Homework Whether we like it or not, homework is a very important part of our lives. We must as parents encourage our children to do the homework. You need to remind them the importance of doing so. Talk with your child. Let them know that you love them and that there is nothing in the whole world that they can’t share with you.
Even young children have things that bother them. Homework is one of those things. Listen to them, teach them, and be there for them. Remember to put your life aside during homework time. Homework time is as unhappy as you make it. Meaning if the child is not happy with doing homework you can either give it to that unhappiness or help to do something about it.
Children are our future. I know that we have smart kids turning into smart adults and knowing this helps me to deal with old age a lot better. Who knows one of our children may be President one day. And how proud you would be on the day he/she is sworn in!
Bottom line, make homework fun for everyone! Remember that having children is a life long job! And you knew this before you had children. And knowing this you have to be willing to be the best parent you can be at all times. We all have our moments being parents, but we sometimes have to put ourselves in their place and remember what it was like to be a kid and how to deal with education and the homework that comes along with it.
Help them help you, teach them how, why, when and where. That is your/our jobs as parents. And it isn’t easy. But it is very rewarding.
God Bless!
