Parents, teachers, and allied health professionals have mixed views regarding homework and the associated behaviours that comes with it.
After a long day at school, children are tired and often have extracurricular activities, such as sport, music, or dance classes. Children need down time. It is important to remember that they need to rest and recuperate after a long day. Trying to complete homework when they are fatigued will just escalate their behaviour into tantrums and refusal.
There is absolutely no point trying to complete homework when your child is tired. Gauge your child’s mood after school as they may need a nutritious snack first, or may just need to play for a while, this will help them to self-regulate and focus.
A visual weekly timetable is a great resource to use with children, so they become aware of tasks that need completing for the week. Try to make them simple, yet flexible and involve your child in the process.
Homework should be ten minutes for reading each night, and ten minutes for spelling. Older children in primary school may require an additional ten minutes, depending on the school homework policy.
Reading should be part of the routine each day. Parents are encouraged to be involved in reading, to assist with comprehension questions, and to ensure the child is reading for meaning. Just reading a story with them is beneficial and will help develop a love of books and reading.
It is essential that parents are invested in this process and are engaging in a collaborative approach to homework. Estelle provides an advisory service which delivers a holistic approach, involves managing the routine and strategies to support you through the process.