How To Motivate Your Child To Do Their Homework

Every parent knows that kids can sometimes be – well, a little difficult. Often, that difficulty revolves around getting them to do things like homework.

The nightly struggle to get your kids to finish their homework is real. The thing is, getting your kids to complete their work doesn’t have to be an epic struggle or battle of wills. In fact, employing just a few tips can make homework way less painful for everyone involved – and maybe even a little fun, too.

Here are a few tips for how to motivate your child to do their homework (no threats, yelling, or crying required!).

How Do I Motivate My Child To Do Homework?
Some kids may view homework as a kind of punishment. They’re done with school for the day, and now there’s even more to do?! It’s easy to see why they may feel as if homework is something created to torture them, but the true purpose of homework is really important.

The role of homework is to reinforce learning and increase comprehension. It allows students to practice, study, and fully grasp materials and concepts they are learning at school. It also helps them to build positive study habits, encouraging better time management and improving memory along the way. This will all come in handy if they choose to pursue higher education after they complete high school, and it also creates good foundation skills for the workforce.

Still, even with all those benefits, it can be difficult for a child to understand how valuable homework can be. That’s why you have to use a few methods to help motivate your child to do their homework in ways that decrease the stress for everyone involved and make the experience more enjoyable overall.

Talk To Them
A calm discussion with your child that helps them understand the importance of homework is one of the first things you should do. Don’t let it turn into an argument – that will only lead to more frustration. Instead, tell them what they have to gain by doing their homework as assigned and help them to see all the ways it will benefit them in the long run.

Even young children can grasp a lot more than you may think about this topic, so talk to them and give them the respect of explaining why homework is so important. Chances are, they’ll catch on and begin to understand, too.

Introduce Structure
Children, whether they want to admit it or not, need structure in boundaries in many areas of life – including homework. You can provide this for them by creating a structure around their homework time. By creating an after-school schedule for them that includes homework, you give them time out of their day to sit down and get things done. You can take it a step further by creating a special space for them to complete their homework that is quiet and removed from the bustling activities of your household. It’s a good idea to give each child their own homework space if you have more than one child, too.

Give Them A Break
When your child gets home from school, don’t make them dive right into homework. They’ve been learning all day and chances are their minds and motivation are a little worn out. Let them have some time to have fun and a bit of a mental break before they start their homework for the evening. This can help them to focus and muster the motivation they need to push through and get it done.

Give Them Motivation
Children, no matter how old they are, want your approval as their parent. They want to make you proud. So make sure when they do their homework that you provide them with the motivation they need by recognizing their hard work and dedication. Even a small gesture like a hug (while they’ll still let them hug you!) or a high five can go a long way in helping your child to feel like they’ve made you proud. That can boost their motivation alone.

If you want to offer additional rewards to help keep their motivation going strong, then that’s up to you. But a special treat can help, too. That is entirely up to you – just make sure they recognize how proud you are.

Be An Example
You have to show your child some solidarity when it’s time to do their homework, so don’t use that time to have fun yourself. You probably shouldn’t watch television or do something they think is fun or entertaining while they’re slogging away on their homework.

Instead, do a chore you have on your own to-do list, read a book, or do some meditation. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a little time for yourself while they’re occupied.

You likely remember from your days as a student that homework isn’t all that much fun. But as an adult, you now understand its importance. That’s what you have to help your child see by communicating the importance to them, providing them a place to do their homework free of distraction, and showing them how proud you are of them. If you can do that, then homework struggles may not be as difficult to overcome.

Featured image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash