Does your child find it hard to complete homework as their attention span wanes?
Perhaps your child just can’t sit still, or gets bored fast and gives up?
If homework is a daily battle that defeats you every week, it’s time to make some positive changes.
Pick the Best Time
Timing is everything! The last thing that most tired, ravenous children want to do when they come back from school is sit down and do homework.
Yet, if you:
- feed them
- give them a drink
- give them a chance to change out of their uniform
it’s amazing how fast they are revived.
Talking of timing, you will also make headway if you help your child break down their homework into manageable chunks.
Homework is usually timetabled these days with the odd subject surprise thrown in the mix occasionally.
Keeping a homework calendar citing when homework is due can be an easy way to help your child balance out their time.
Get Active
Did you know that movement encourages alertness in kids? That makes it an ideal activity to do before homework.
A kick-about with the ball in the back garden, a cycle round the block – or whatever your child’s activity of choice is – offers a wonderful brain break after school.
The opportunity to recharge the brain’s batteries after a busy school day is not to be missed.
Remove Distractions
This is by far the biggest way to drain your child’s ability to focus on their homework: distractions around them. They’re EVERYWHERE!
TV noise, siblings, electronic devices, gaming consoles, mobile phones. The list of distractions to limit your child’s attention span are endless.
Rather than totally restrict access to electronic devices, have a system where you agree access. It works!
‘Complete this homework to earn 15 or 30 minutes on your game/phone etc.’ Earning time on their favourite devices or activities is a clever way to keep everyone happy.
Create Good Habits
It’s hard being a parent, especially when you have more than one child, a career, and household chores to juggle.
That’s why establishing routines from the start of term can help you help your child succeed. If children are left to their own devices, homework is often last on their list.
Instead, if you treat it as a positive and educational activity built into the week’s timetable, they are more likely to complete it without all-out mutiny!!
Need Extra Help to Boost Your Child’s Focus?
Get in touch with our tutor team here at Manchester and Cheshire’s premier tuition service.
Our team of experts know exactly how to inspire your child or teen to achieve their best effort.
Drop our head tutor Alison a message here.
*Image courtesy of parents.com
Tags: brain breaks, educational activity, how to achieve best effort, routines