Take the "Work" Out of Homework!

As you head into another month of school, are you finding yourself more frustrated with your child's study habits (or lack there of)? Do you find yourself nagging, bribing, threatening to take the TV away forever if they don't start their homework without being told a million times?

If so, read on to get some tips that will get you and your teen communicating more effectively. You really can collaborate to create a homework routine that works for both of you.

1. Gather information

Sit down with your child (not when you are frustrated or angry) and ask:

A. How much time they need to study each day?

TIP: One idea is to sit down with your teen and draw out a pie chart (a circle with divided sections of what they are going to do with their time from when they get home to when they go to bed). In each slice of the "pie" they will figure out how much time they will need for activities such as homework, computer, phone, sports, whatever they have going on. This is effective because it hits upon all three learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthic.

B. What do they want the completed work to look like, i.e., quality of work are they comfortable turning in?

C. Where will the completed work go?

TIP: Let your teen decide where they want to place their completed work (i.e. on a console by the door so they can grab before they leave for school, in their backpack, or on the kitchen counter (whatever works for them so it will help them remember to take it
to school).