1.  Are your kids stressed out over homework? Worried? Never seem to be caught up? 
   
2.  Do your kids have so much homework, there's no time for playing and just goofing off?
   
3. Is the homework too hard for them? (In other words, was the work explained enough by their teacher that they can no understand and complete it?
    
4. Are they often mixed up about the assignment? (In other words, were they paying attention when the teacher told them about the homework.
    
5. Is homework just done haphazardly or at different times each day?
   
6. Is the TV on during homework?
   
7. Is homework done in every room in the house or wherever there's an empty place?
    
8. Do you always "rescue" them if they don't get it done or don't understand it?
9. Are you getting in the way of your kids' learning time management skills? In other words, do you include them in spur of the moment trips to the mall during homework time?
   
10.  Do you pretty much ignore their homework? After all, it's their deal and you
     have other things to think about?
     

Now Add up the checks and see what your score means.

8-10 checks: Oops, need to work on homework. Poor homework skills and a poor homework environment may be hurting your kids' test scores and grades.

5-7 checks: It's going o.k. but some improvement is in order

3-4 checks: Good job. Looks like your kids are generally getting their homework done in a timely fashion and without too much stress.

2-1 checks: Fabulous. Your kids are learning wonderful study habits and good time management skills. Learning material at their grade level and being well prepared for tests.

O checks: Surely you're kidding. No parent is perfect!

So what do good homework habits look like? How can parents provide a homework environment? Keep reading.

1. Homework shouldn't be stressful on a routine basis? If it is, you'll need to talk to your child's teacher. Some children think their homework should be perfect. Nobody's perfect. No homework is perfect. Help them get over this debilitating perfection idea. For other kids, there's too much homework, or it's too hard, or they've got too many outside activities.

2. Free playtime is essential to a child's emotional development (The American Pediatric Association agrees with me), not to mention physical health.  And scheduled activities such as sports, clubs, and music lessons are equally important. If your child doesn't have enough time for these activities a couple times a week, free playtime everyday, and time for plenty of sleep, then there's too much homework.

3. Homework needs to be sufficiently explained by your child's teacher ahead of time (and you child needs to be paying attention) so the homework isn't too hard. Homework is not the place to be learning a new concept or math skill. It's the time to practice something already learned.

4. When you child doesn't understand the assignment, they can't do the homework. Now it's your job to discover whether she was asleep when the teacher explained it. Or if the teacher didn't explain in the first place. Ask your child lots of questions about the homework. Explain how important it is to understand, to ask questions, to write down the assignment. If the problem keeps popping up, discuss it with your child's teacher.

5. Kids thrive on routine. And often it's up to you to establish that routine. Generally most kids do best if playtime and activity time is right after school. And homework is right after dinner.

6. Watching TV and doing homework at the same time doesn't work. Even having a loud TV on in the other room doesn't work. Don't let kids tell you otherwise. On the other hand, for some kids listening to music actually helps them concentrate.  If they're getting their homework done without being distracted while they're listening to music, don't knock a good thing.

7. Kids need a consistent place to do their homework. The kitchen table's fine if it's not cluttered with dirty dishes and piles of laundry. And the room is quiet. If kids share a bedroom with a sibling, doing homework in their room may be too distracting. 

8. When kids don't do their homework, it's their problem. It's not your problem. Don't do it for them. Don't help them with problem after problem. Let them suffer the consequences. If they flunk the test, fail their science project because they didn't turn it in, or miss a field trip, they're learning and growing up. Painful as this is, it's good and part of normal development.

9. Honor your kids' homework time. This means no spur of the moment trips to the mall which include them. No chores they must do right now. No helping you with some project. Homework helps kids learn good time management skills. If you interrupt this process, they're learning from you that time management really isn't important after all.

10. Take an interest in your kids' homework. Ask questions about it. Look it over. Help out when they've got a question. Taking an interest is not the same thing as nagging or checking up on every assignment. It's about a sincere interest in what your child is learning, what they're interested in, what they're having a hard time with. Taking an interest is also not doing the homework for them or sitting with them the entire time they're working on it. (See #8 above.)

Now that you've mastered your end of the homework, take a look at the Teacher's Homework Checklist. This can give you a good idea if your child is being asked to do relevant and reasonable homework.

Be sure to read or listen to the latest research on homework:  "How Much Homework is Too Much"  This article appeared in the January issue of "Brain Boosters for Your Kids."  

Feel free to reprint the Parent's checklist for community or school newspapers or distribute it at PTA nights.  Copies and reprints must include the following lines including the copyright:

by Dr. MaryJo Wagner
The Learning Doctor
"Helping You Help Your Kids Learn"
mjw@mjwagner.com

Subscribe today to the "Brain Boosters for Your Kids" newsletter and get your copy of the report "Why Kids Don't Want to Read." Go to
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© 2007  MaryJo Wagner

Want more skills to help your child with homework? Make homework easier? Less stressful?  Check out Brain Gym Basics today.