School is back in session, and everyone is adjusting to the new routine. When you have younger, elementary aged children having a dedicated space for them to do school work can be beneficial. Even if your home doesn’t have a separate room for a work space, there are still a few things you can do to help your children create a dedicated spot for completing homework and studying. Here are a few tips for creating a simple homework routine for your children.
Set Expectations
Everyone is different. Some of us are super productive in the morning while others do their best work in the evening. Children can be the same way. Some kids need a little bit of time to relax at home and decompress after school while others do their best completing homework as soon as they get home. It may take a few weeks of trial and error to figure out what works best with your child, but when you do, stick with it. Having a simple homework routine starts with tackling homework at the same time every day.
Keep a calendar
Many children benefit from a routine; it clearly outlines what to expect and when to expect it. Once school starts, after school activities also start and you may find yourself out of the house on different evenings. A calendar of family events can help everyone plan their days and know what days you’ve got to get started on homework right away and which days you don’t. Keeping the calendar in a easily accessible area and having your children write (or draw pictures) for their activities can help them remember special events.
Designate a homework spot
The kitchen table is a great spot to do homework. Some children can work at a desk in their rooms or use a lap board to do homework on the couch while others need to be in a distraction free area like a corner of a guest room. No matter where your child likes completes homework, designate that spot as the homework spot.
No desk, no problem
If you don’t have the space in your home for a dedicated desk or table where children can leave some school supplies that is okay! Grab a shower caddy, like one of these, from a dollar store or Wal Mart and use it to store the materials (pencils, tape, erasers, crayons, chargers) that your child might need. It can easily be stored away when not in use. One of these lap desks also provides a great working area.
Keep a Folder
Most communication from schools and many assignments are tied to the internet. At the beginning of the year, you will receive papers with various usernames and passwords. Have a folder for children to put any paper they receive from school with passwords to online educational websites, directions for projects, or study guides and papers for a particular unit of study. Having everything in one place is helpful when your child can’t remember a password or needs to study for a test.
Don’t do the Work for Your Child
It can sometimes be tempting to give your child answers to questions they don’t understand, but don’t do it. You can certainly help your child and walk them through the steps to solve a problem, but make them participate in the work too. You can also write a quick note on the worksheet alerting your child’s teacher that the child needed a lot of help to complete the assignment or send the teacher an email.
Return it all
When all the homework is complete, the final step in your simple homework routine is to have your child immediately place everything that needs to go back to school in their bookbags. It’s much easier to do it right after completing the work than trying to pack everything up in the morning.
