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Khan Academy Blog

Making Homework Easier: Tips and Tools for Parents 

posted on September 20, 2023

By Stephanie Yamkovenko , group manager of Khan Academy’s Digital Marketing Team.

Homework can present challenges for parents and children alike. You naturally want to provide support for your child’s learning journey and ensure they are reaching their full potential. In this blog post, we will delve into practical strategies to assist your child with their homework. From fostering understanding and offering encouragement to breaking down tasks and implementing rewards, we will explore a variety of effective approaches to help your child achieve academic success.

Step 1: Set Up Your Child for Success

Your child’s study environment can have a significant impact on their homework performance. Create a space that is free from distractions like the television, smartphones, or noisy siblings. The study space should be comfortable, well lit, and have all the necessary materials your child might need, such as pens, papers, and textbooks. If your child’s workspace is noisy or uncomfortable, they may have difficulty focusing on their homework, resulting in lower productivity. 

For example, if you live in a small apartment, consider setting up a designated corner with a small desk or table where your child can focus on their work. You can use dividers or screens to create a sense of privacy and minimize distractions.

If the only place to do homework is in the dining room or kitchen, try to establish a routine where the area is cleared and organized before study time. This can help signal to your child that it’s time to concentrate and be productive.

Remember, it’s important to adapt to your specific circumstances and make the best of the available space. The key is to create a dedicated study area that promotes focus and minimizes interruptions regardless of the size or location of your home.

Try Confidence Boosters for Your Child Here!

Step 2: make it fun.

It’s important to make homework fun and engaging for your child. Here are some examples of how you can do it:

• Use games : Incorporate educational games like card games, board games, or puzzles that align with the subject your child is learning. For instance, use Scrabble to practice spelling or Sudoku to enhance problem-solving skills.
• Turn it into a challenge : Create a friendly competition between siblings or friends by setting goals or time limits for completing assignments. Offer small rewards or incentives for accomplishing tasks.
• Make it interactive : Use hands-on activities or experiments to reinforce concepts learned in class. For science or math, conduct simple experiments at home or use manipulatives like blocks or counters to visualize abstract concepts.
• Use technology : Explore online educational platforms or apps that offer interactive learning experiences. There are various educational games, virtual simulations, and videos available that can make homework more enjoyable.
• Incorporate creativity : Encourage your child to express their understanding through art, storytelling, or multimedia presentations. For example, they can create a comic strip to summarize a story or make a short video to explain a concept.

Remember, by making homework enjoyable, you can help your child develop a positive attitude towards learning.

Step 3: Use Rewards

Rewards can be a powerful motivational tool for children. Offering positive reinforcement can encourage them to complete their homework on time and to the best of their ability. 

Here are some examples of rewards our team has used with their children:

• Extra screen time: “I use Apple parental controls to add screen time on their iPad.”
• Access to a favorite toy: “My eight year old has a drum kit, which drives us all up the wall. (Thanks, Grandma!) But when they’ve been doing a lot of school work, we put on headphones and let him go nuts.”
• Praise for a job well done: “Specific, measurable praise is what works best.” 
• Trip to the park: “A trip to the park is good for everyone, especially for the kids to run around with the doggos.”
• Movie night: “I know every word and song lyric in Moana ; we now reserve showings for good behavior.” 
• Stickers or stamps: “Gold stars were such a thing growing up in the 80s; turns out they still work.”
• Stay up a little later: “An extra 30 minutes feels like a whole day for my young ones; use this reward with caution as it can become the expectation!”

So, celebrate your child’s efforts and encourage them to continue doing their best.

Step 4: Break Down Difficult Tasks

When facing daunting homework assignments, follow these step-by-step instructions to break down the tasks into smaller, manageable chunks:

• Understand the requirements and scope of the task.
• Break down the assignment into individual tasks or sub-tasks.  
• Splitting the middle term
• Using formula
• Using Quadratic formula
• Using algebraic identities
• Determine the order in which tasks should be completed based on importance or difficulty. 
• Start with the easiest task. Begin with the task that seems the least challenging or time-consuming.
• Progress to more challenging tasks: Once the easier tasks are completed, move on to more difficult ones.
• Take breaks: Schedule short breaks between tasks to avoid burnout and maintain focus.
• Check completed tasks for accuracy and make any necessary revisions.
• Finish the remaining task(s) with the same approach.
• Celebrate small achievements to boost confidence and keep motivation high.

By following these steps, you can make daunting homework assignments more manageable and less overwhelming for your child.

Step 5: Get Targeted Help

If your child is struggling with homework, it might be worth considering seeking personalized assistance. You have the option to search for professional tutors or explore online tutoring platforms, such as Khan Academy’s AI tutor, Khanmigo .

This AI tutor can offer personalized guidance and support tailored to your child’s specific needs, helping them grasp complex concepts and practice essential skills. Incorporating this approach can effectively complement your child’s learning and enhance their homework performance.

Enhance your child’s learning and boost homework performance!

Homework can be a challenge for both parents and children. But with the right approach, you can help your child overcome difficulties and support their learning. Encourage and understand your child, create a comfortable environment, break down difficult tasks, use rewards, get professional help when needed, and make it fun. With these tips and techniques, you can help your child achieve success, develop a love for learning, and achieve academic excellence. Remember that each child learns differently, so it’s essential to adjust your approach to meet their unique needs.

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Helping Kids with Homework: 11 Easy & Do-Able Tips for Parents

Tips for Smart Parenting 09/21/2021 11 minute read

Homework is the bane of every student, as it is for the parents.

As a matter of fact, homework is not even necessary in the first place.

Before you react, there are countless studies to validate this claim. But even if we go on a hard-fought, well-thought, debate on whether homework is important or not, homework is here to stay. 

That said, helping kids with their take-home assignments is a duty we have to fulfill. But how exactly do we do it?

Below are actionable parenting tips to help your kids with their homework without doing it for them!

You might be interested:  How to Support Kids Learning Science and Why it Matters?

Parenting Tips on How to Do Homework with Kids

We used to believe that parental availability and support while kids do their assignments is key for their class success. "The more involved parents are, the better off they would be," so to speak. 

But that is a misconception and sometimes may even be counterproductive. As Kathleen Reilly said:

“When parents are overly immersed in homework, they deny kids the chance to become more independent and confident. Worse, it can breed anxiety along the way.” 

Helping kids with homework means that you offer your support but never treat the assignment like it's your responsibility. It's challenging, but kids need to do homework on their own because the assignments deal with lessons already discussed in class. Plus, answering homework by themselves is a good way to teach independent learning .

With that in mind, here are the homework tips for parents:

1. Work Out a Working Routine

Believe it or not, children love routines because they create structure .

This helps children feel more secure because they know what to do and what's expected of them.

Face it, nobody likes homeworks. But make it easier for your kids to do their's by doing routines such as below:

What time should they start? Set a definite time when they should do their homeworks. Will it be right after they arrive from school? Should they play for an hour first? Would they do it after shower time or after dinner?

Where is their homework place? The place they choose is likely the area they feel most comfy working in. That element adds extra help when doing homework. Find a place and stick with it.

If you have multiple kids, distinct routines for each are fine. What matters is that you enforce discipline and commitment to the schedule. Write the details on a sheet of paper and post their routines on the wall!

2. Make a Homework Plan

The routine simply tackles the when and where kids do their assignments. A homework plan focuses on how they do it. 

Doing homework needs to be systematic , both for you and the child. Approach homework from a systematic point of view and you save yourselves time and whine.

The example below is the system I found most suited for my children. You can follow it or fashion your own process, whichever works best. Here's what my kids do:

Read  the directions of the homework, twice.

Determine the goal and the steps needed to achieve it.

Divide the assignment into several chunks (if logically possible).

Set time limits for each portion and mark each as complete when finished.

Helping kids with homework is not about giving them all the answers. It's about  strategizing on how to finish the homework effectively and efficiently.

3. Monitor, Don't Correct

Let's get back to basics .

What is the purpose of homework?

Homework allows teachers to gauge what the students understood in class. That said, mistakes are welcomed.

But since most parents dread the idea of making mistakes, they try to  correct each flaw too often all for a perfect remark.

Word of advice: Teachers are well-aware of how your kids perform in class, so they know the truth.

My point is, remove the notion of absolute perfection from your kids.

It's okay to make mistakes, as long as they learn how to correct them on their own ! There should be no pressure on them to avoid mistakes at all costs. Encourage an atmosphere of growth. But, make it clear to your kids they should resolve their mistakes the next time around, once they understand the correct answer.

Do this instead:

Allow your kids to ask you up to 3 questions on their homework. But, be stingy on answering their questions right away.

When they ask, reply to them something like "I can help you once I finish my chores" or "Read it again, I'll be back in a sec."

You might not realize it, but this is one subtle way to help kids with homework. When you delay your aid, you gently force them to reread the directions and rework the problem on their own.

Monitor and ask them probing questions on the reason behind their homework answers.

4. Set an Example to Imitate

Helping kids how to do homework can also mean modeling the behavior to them. This is a parenting hack that most parents fail to practice.

It can be a good motivating factor for the kids if you do chores like budgeting or computing household expenses at the same time they do their assignments.

This is one indirect way to teach kids how to do homework. Set a good example and you'll find them following your footsteps.

5. Don't Sit Beside Them

Sitting and closely monitoring your kids as they answer homework is not at all helpful.

Behind the scenes, it sends a message to their brains that you might think they can't do the work without direct supervision.

Would you like that? Of course not!

Helping kids with their homework should also tap into the emotional aspect of learning. Show them that you trust their brains by letting them do their assignment on their own. Otherwise, you shatter their self-confidence leading to feelings of inferiority.

Here are my suggestions:

Stay nearby, do chores, balance your checks, wash dishes. Basically, just be there for them, without literally sitting beside them.

6. Establish the No-Nonsense Responsibility

Make the duties of each member in the family clear.

Of course, both you and your partner have work responsibilities, and so do the kids! They're expected to be diligent with their responsibilities:

Attend classes

Work with their teachers

And of course... do their homeworks

Once they agreed to a working routine and a homework plan , then there is no turning back. Tell them to buckle their seats until they finish their tasks. Discipline matters just as much as intellect and system when dealing with homework.

7. Teach Them Time Management 

Time management is the one of the most important tools for productivity.

Once your kids learn the benefits of being in control of their time, they position themselves to a life of success. Time management is not only relevant for homework. Instilling this behavior is a must from the get-go.

One tip is using an old analog wall clock and coloring in the hour when they should do answer their homework. Once the short arm reaches it, teach them to take initiative to do their tasks.

Help them in sorting the time out too, especially, if there are multiple homework in one seating.

8. Positive Reinforcement is a Great Hack

They say the best way to man's heart is through their stomach. Well, the best way to a child's heart is through snacks and treats . (I made that up)

Instead of threatening them to limit their TV watching time or call their teachers, why not compensate their efforts with some good ol' sweets? 

Reinforcing their diligence pushes them more to do it. Scare tactics are not as good as rewards to encourage a behavior. Although, do the positive reinforcement practice sparingly.  

Appreciating their efforts is another way to help kids with homework as this motivates them. You can do this by:

Posting their aced assignments or exams

Displaying their art projects on the fridge

It showcases how much you value their efforts and how proud you are of them.

9. Walk Away Once the Whine Fest Starts

How does walking away help kids on how to do homework? Well, it doesn't. It's more for your benefit than them.

Having a rough day at work is physically and mentally exhausting . Add another layer of whining because kids don't want to do their assignments, and you enter a whole new level of stress .

If they keep on complaining, check their homework progress.

If they are only being grumpy even when they can do it, then try to motivate them. Tell them that the sooner they finish, the more time they'd have to watch their favorite TV shows .

If the homework is indeed truly difficult, then lend them a hand.

Ask their teacher about it, especially if the homework is beyond the kid's level of understanding. Inquire if it's appropriate to give kids complex problems. Their teachers would love to hear feedback from parents, on top of that, to aid the pupils with their homework!

10. Let Them Take the Lead

Their Homework is not only a test of one's learning but also of a kid's sense of responsibility .

Their answers should be theirs and they must own up if they fail to do it. If they left their homework at home, then parents shouldn't bail their kids out by bringing their assignments to class.

Matt Vaccaro, a first-grade teacher, says that he makes students do their assignment during recess if they forget to do it at home.

According to him "Once she starts missing playtime, she gets the message."

This seemingly harsh yet rightful way to deal with their negligence actually motivates the kids to be responsible in the succeeding homework. 

Helping them how to do homework is as necessary as teaching them to be responsible for it.

11. Keep Your Composure and Carry On

Homework meltdowns do occur, so be ready!

These are children's ways of saying they're overwhelmed . And sometimes these kids are indeed struggling so bad. 

Parents, please keep your composure. Breathe and stay calm . You risk compromising their progress if you too burst out in frustration. Remember that homework is an opportunity to cultivate better parent-child relationships .

Here are ways to address homework meltdowns:

A simple hug might do

Speak words of affirmation like "we'll figure it out"

Let them vent out to you while you listen calmly

Sometimes, kids just need to blow off some steam. Catering to these needs are subtle ways of helping kids with homework. See the mood change after they've burst the bubble.

If ever you did lash out (although we hope not). Apologize immediately and tell your child that you both need a timeout for 10 minutes. They can play for within that period and resume working on the homework once the time is up.

Helping kids with homework is a dual purpose. You make homework accomplishment more manageable for them and you make life easier for you. Consider the above homework tips next time your kids have assignments.

The How-to-do-Homework Hack!

Some kids might still see learning as a chore, and that's okay. I mean, who likes to wake up early and be in class when they can play at home all day?

Making the most out of their curiosity helps transform their perception of learning — from a tedious and boring chore to a fun and interactive learning experience. We believe that the way to encourage kids to do their homework is by making them see the fun in learning.

The best way to do this is using educational toys! 

The STEMscope portable microscope is a good tool to cultivate your child's curiosity. This handheld science gadget is an all-around partner for your kid's best learning! 

Once they activate their curiosity, they develop the insatiable desire to learn, after that, they will see homework as fun learning opportunity!

Check out our complete catalog of science toys to find the best toy for your kid!

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The Pathway 2 Success

Solutions for Social Emotional Learning & Executive Functioning

20+ Homework Strategies for Parents

December 13, 2022 by pathway2success Leave a Comment

Homework can be a big source of frustration for kids and parents at home. Even more, it can be a challenge that carries over from home to school when the child doesn’t complete the work and is behind in class.

If your child is struggling with homework, read through these strategies and give some a try. As a note, not every single strategy is going to work for every child. To start, pick a few and give them a try. See what works and what doesn’t. Then, move forward together.

If you are an educator looking for strategies for kids, these can help you too. You might even want to pass them along to families to give strategies and support along the way.

Homework Strategies for Home:

Set up a binder organization system. First and foremost, it’s helpful to set your child up with a binder organization system that works for them. This might look different for different learners. One option is having one binder for every class/subject plus a dedicated homework binder. This is ideal for kids who are switching classes and have a good ability to keep track of different binders. In each binder, add a pocket folder and extra paper. In the homework binder, have your child add their homework agenda (read more about that below), a pencil pouch, and a pocket folder just for homework. If this system is too much, consider having one larger binder that contains a homework folder and all classes. You can separate the classes with dividers. While setting up a system most definitely takes time and planning, it helps keep things more orderly in the future.

Use a homework folder. A dedicated homework folder is key to making sure pages get brought home to finish and find their way back to the classroom to be turned in. Using a pocket folder, label one side of the folder “to do” and one side “done.” Explain that assignments that need to be completed, will go on the “to do” side, while pages that are finished will stay in “done.” It’s advisable to purchase a name brand folder to help make sure it lasts a bit longer and stays in the binder. Another tip is to go to the store with your child and let them choose the folder design. There are many different folders with everything from kittens to race cars. Letting the child choose the folder helps them be part of the organization process and might encourage a bit more buy-in. You can use this free homework binder template to get yourself started, or you can make your own!

Teach organization skills on an ongoing basis. Since a big part of completing homework is about organization, it’s important to teach and practice these skills often. Talk about where things should go in the house, take a 5-minute organization break when you need it, and model what organizing materials looks like. If your child struggles significantly with organization, consider reading up more on interventions for organization challenges .

Set up a homework spot. Choose one spot in the house where your child can productively accomplish work on a regular basis. This might be a downstairs office or just the kitchen table. Most importantly, aim to make it consistent and distraction-free.

Have kids use a homework log or agenda. A homework log or agenda is a dedicated place to write homework every day. Often, schools provide homework logs with spots for kids to write work down. If this works, great! Sometimes, though, one isn’t provided or the space might be too small for a child to write in. If that’s the case, you can make your own or use a journal. The key is to set it up so that your child has one spot to write homework down every single day.

Keep the homework area stocked and organized. Keep extra pencils, coloring utensils, and paper ready to go when your child needs it. Having materials organized and stocked will reduce time your child goes looking for it when they need it for an assignment.

Check over the homework log together. Before starting homework, spend a few minutes going over the homework log with your child. Ask them to show you and tell you what assignments they have to do tonight. This is also a great time for positive reinforcement when all homework assignments are clearly outlined, or constructive criticism when they are not. For example, you might say, “I noticed you wrote down ‘study’ under math. What do you think might be more helpful than that for next time?” Then, talk about how you could write down the chapters or topics to study. This homework log check also helps build accountability for your child.

Find alternative ways to check homework. Kids and teens aren’t always perfect about writing their assignments down. Check to see if your child’s teacher has a website where homework is listed. Bookmark the site and have your child use it when they forget to write assignments down. It’s important that it becomes their responsibility to check. If a teacher website isn’t an option, have a homework buddy from class that your child can touch base with. Again, this should be your child’s responsibility when possible. The idea is to teach your child that it is actually easier just to write it down correctly in class the first time!

Be a motivator. It’s no secret that homework isn’t often a favorite activity for kids and teens. Help make it easier by providing encouragement and support in a positive way. You can even start with practicing some positive self-talk and positive affirmations .

Use a timer. A timer can be a valuable tool to help set boundaries and allow breaks. Choose an amount of time that your child should be working, such as 20 minutes. Set the timer and make this a working time. Once the timer goes off, allow a 5 or 10 minute break before heading back to work. A visual timer can be especially helpful in this case because it shows kids and teens just how long they have left until they get their next break. Of course, a simple timer on the oven works, too.

Keep distractions away. We all know that kids and teens love their cell phones. The truth is that these devices are extremely distracting during working times. Make it an expectation that electronics stay away during homework time. Of course, it’s important to mention that this might be incredibly difficult for some kids at first. Work at it to make it a habit for the long-term.

Schedule breaks. It’s healthy to take breaks during long working sessions. Plan to take a break after each course assignment, or after a period of time. Of course, the number of breaks is going to vary greatly depending on your child.

Plan homework times. When it comes to homework, routine is a big part of the puzzle. Plan and schedule daily homework times when possible. Aim for shortly after your child gets home from school if that’s an option. This can allow a short break but still the time to finish the work they need to before dinner and night-time routines. Again, this is going to vary depending on every family situation, since parent work schedules and sports might interfere. If that’s the case, choose any time that works for you. It’s most important to stick with it so that it becomes a routine.

Model focused work. When it’s homework time, model what focused work looks like. While your child is working on assignments, read a book, do crossword puzzles, write in a journal, or complete some work of your own!

Build in choice. Give kids some say when it comes to homework! This will help them feel more empowered and independent. You can let them choose which assignment to start first or how they’d like to start a project. A little bit of choice can go a long way.

Create a homework checklist. Help your child create a daily checklist for homework each day. Encourage them to list out everything they need to accomplish on a piece of paper. Then, prioritize what is most important and start there. Have them check off each assignment on the checklist as they go. This can be done on paper or on a mini whiteboard.

Find a homework buddy. Make sure your child has a friend or classmate they can reach out to when they need homework support. This can be beneficial if they don’t know the assignment or have a question on a specific problem.

Be flexible. If your child wants to do homework a little bit differently than you would recommend, let them try. For example, maybe your child needs to spread out and work on the floor. Perhaps they might really do better while listening to music. These are all recommendations, strategies, and ideas, but remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Be open-minded and find what works for your child.

Recognize when something is taking too long. You know your child best. If he or she spending two hours on a homework assignment, consider taking a look at it together. Provide support and encourage strategies to help them move along. When nothing seems to work, you can also consider adding a note to the back of the page and sending an email to the teacher letting them know the challenges you encountered.

Check homework when finished. Depending on the needs of the child, it may be important to check over and review homework together. Not only it is important to check for completion, but for quality of work. If work isn’t done well, it is worth going back and having your child add or fix what they need to. Eventually, the goal is that they will learn that it’s just easier to do it right the first time!

Plan fun activities after homework. Family game time, watching a favorite show, or heading out for ice cream are all great ways to naturally reward being finished with work.

Develop a home incentive plan. If completing homework is continually a struggle and you suspect motivation is the culprit, consider an incentive or reward plan. Talk with your child about what they would like to earn, such as a movie night with friends or a weekend sleepover. Come up with the terms (such as homework completed every night for a week) and make it happen. The goal with an incentive plan is to develop positive habits and create independence.

Keep in touch with teachers. Remember to stay in contact with your child’s teachers. They are often a source of helpful tips and strategies, but they can’t provide that information if they don’t know your child is struggling. When talking to your child’s teacher about homework challenges, be specific about the difficulties you are seeing an open-minded to trying some strategies. Avoid the blame game. It’s always best when families work with schools on homework issues. If issues continue, do your best to document them and request a face-to-face meeting to discuss further and come up with ideas. Using actual homework samples might also be helpful.

Be a united front with teachers. Even if homework becomes a source of frustration, it’s helpful to remember to act as a united front with your child’s teachers. Certainly, it’s helpful to voice your concerns (and even frustrations) with your child’s teacher privately, but doing it in front of the child can send the wrong message. Again, working together always works best.

Remember to start with just a few strategies, give them a fair shot, and see where they take you. The goal is always that your child can complete the homework independently and feel successful. This may take time, practice, and changing up the strategies along the way, but homework success is possible!

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PARENTING HUB

40 Top Parenting Tips for Navigating Homework Challenges

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge

• October 6, 2023

Navigating the intricacies of homework assignments can often feel like a maze for both parents and children alike . As someone deeply involved in child development and having worked closely with many educators, I've gathered a wealth of insights into establishing a solid homework routine. 

This article is a compilation of those tried-and-tested homework tips, aimed to ease challenges and enhance productivity. Whether you're looking to foster a deeper connection with your child's teacher or seeking effective strategies to prioritize tasks, I'm here to guide you.

Homework Tips for Parents: Break the Stress and Boost Learning Hacks from a Children’s Psychologist

Homework tip: setting up the environment.

• Establish a Routine: Set a specific time and place for homework to create consistency and predictability.
• Routine Consistency: Keep the routine consistent, even on weekends, so the child knows what to expect.
• Provide a Quiet Space: Ensure your child has a quiet, well-lit, and comfortable place to work, free from distractions. 
• Limit Distractions: Keep TVs, mobile phones, and other distracting electronics off during homework time.
• Limit Overall Stimuli: A clutter-free workspace can reduce distractions. Try to minimize items on their workspace that they might fidget with or get distracted by.
• Stay Organized: Use planners, calendars, or apps to keep track of assignment due dates.
• Equip the Space: Stock the homework area with essential supplies such as pencils, paper, erasers, and rulers

Homework Tip: Instruction Support

• Clear and Concise Instructions: Ensure instructions are short and to the point. Use visuals and watch for body language signals that show understanding.

• Break Tasks Into Manageable Chunks : If an assignment is extensive, break it down into smaller steps to make it more manageable.
• Chunking Information: Divide information into smaller, more digestible chunks. This can make the work seem more manageable.
• Set Time Limits: Use a timer to allocate specific amounts of time for each task, helping children stay on track.
• Timers: Use a visual timer, so they can see how much time they have left to work. This can make the passage of time more tangible.
• Teach Time Management: Help them prioritize their tasks, tackling more challenging or urgent assignments first.
• Stay Involved: Regularly check in with your child about their assignments and progress, offering guidance when needed.
• Interactive Tools: Consider using interactive educational tools or apps that can make learning more engaging for them.
• Ask Them To Explain What The Task Is: Gage what your child understands before they start the task. This will help set them in the right direction and give you a sense of what they know.

Homework Tip: Brain Hacks

• Physical Activity: Encourage short bursts of physical activity during breaks, like jumping jacks or a quick walk around the block. Physical activity can help increase attention span.
• Encourage Breaks: For longer homework sessions, ensure kids take short breaks to rest their minds and bodies.
• Offer Healthy Snacks : Brain-boosting snacks can help maintain energy and focus during study time. Fizzy drinks such as a seltzer-magnesium drink can stimulate and calm the brain.
• Shorter Work Periods: Divide homework time into shorter, more frequent sessions. For instance, instead of a continuous 30-minute session, try three 10-minute sessions with short breaks in between.
• Visual Schedules: Use visual aids like charts or diagrams to outline the tasks that need completion. This can help them understand what's expected and track their progress.
• Tactile Tools: For some children, using tactile tools like stress balls or fidget toys can help them channel their extra energy and maintain focus.

• Background Music: Some children focus better with low-volume, non-distracting background music or white noise. But others are stressed by it , so play around and do what works best for them (not you!). 
• Color Coding: Use colors to categorize and prioritize tasks. This can help visually differentiate and organize their work.
• Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or even short meditation sessions can help center their attention.

Homework Tip: Monitoring, Communication and Positive Reinforcement

• Stay Positive : In your own mindset. Focus on the effort and improvements, not just the end result. Praise hard work and resilience.
• Encourage Independence Over Time: While it's essential to offer support, allow kids to complete assignments on their own as they build skills before you check the work. This fosters responsibility and self-reliance.
• Be Available for Questions: Make sure your child knows they can come to you if they have questions or need clarification on a topic.
• Connect Learning to Real Life: Help your child see the real-world applications of what they're learning to make it more engaging.
• Review Completed Assignments: Go over finished homework to ensure understanding and check for errors, but avoid doing the work for them.
• Explain Consequences and Establish Rewards: Positive reinforcement can motivate your child. Consider rewards for consistent homework completion.
• Encourage a Growth Mindset: Teach your child to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Emphasize the value of persistence and learning from mistakes. Talk to kids about how regular practice builds skills even when the learning is hard!
• Positive Reinforcement: Reinforce positive behavior immediately. If they've focused well for a short span, reward that effort to encourage repetition of the desired behavior.
• Active Participation: Encourage them to engage actively with their work, such as reading aloud or teaching the content back to you. This can reinforce their understanding and attention.
• Regular Check-ins: Check in more frequently during their homework sessions, offering guidance, encouraging movement to support brain alertness.
• Immediate Feedback: Give immediate feedback on their work. This keeps them engaged and lets them know they're on the right track.
• Open Communication: Ensure your child feels comfortable discussing their challenges with you. Sometimes, they might have insights into what might help them focus better.

Long Game Parent Homework Tips

• Stay Informed: If your child has a diagnosed attention disorder, like ADHD, stay updated with the latest strategies and recommendations specific to their needs. You can join our CALM Brain Parenting Community for science-backed solutions to support attention and learning. 
• Stay in Touch with Teachers: Regular communication with educators can give insights into how your child is doing and where they might need additional help. They may benefit from school accommodations or more formal IEP support .
• Seek External Support: If focus issues persist, consider seeking help from a tutor, educational therapist, or counselor familiar with attention challenges.

Reflecting on these pivotal parent homework tips, it becomes evident that with the right strategies, we can turn potential struggles into stepping stones for success. By instilling a consistent homework routine and maintaining open communication with your child, we're setting the stage for academic achievements. 

Each child is a unique individual, and it's crucial to discover what resonates best with them during homework time. It is also important to look for root causes better and better understand why your child is struggling . 

With these tools at your disposal, I'm confident in your ability to lead your child through the myriad tasks and challenges that lie ahead. Together, let's make every homework session a journey of growth and discovery and tamp down frustration!

Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.

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8 Great Homework Tips for Parents

Today, parents and students are going a mile a minute. But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed much over the years—homework and the way that some students feel about it. Thankfully, there are best practices that you can implement to make homework an important priority and a positive experience in your household.

I cringe when I think of a weekend in 9th grade when I dropped a last minute homework bomb on my dad. He was probably hoping to relax on a Sunday, and instead spent hours helping me make a cell model for my biology class out of concrete, because that's what he (a general contractor) had on hand.

The research on the benefits of homework range widely, but in most schools it's not going away. If homework is required, try to help students focus on developing positive study skills, fostering independence, and creative problem-solving. Research shows students learn better through creative problem-solving rather than through memorizing facts. Additionally, for many parents, homework time can be more stressful for them than it is for their children. And when it comes to math, parents' anxiety about math can have a negative impact on their child, affecting both attitudes about math, as well as achievement. 

Every student has differing needs and every family has unique obstacles to face. Which is why I asked a team of MIND experts to share their most effective, helpful homework strategies for parents. The homework tips below are guaranteed to help parents maximize success, support your student, and transform homework into a positive experience for all.

And to hopefully ensure that none of you are ever stuck making concrete biology cells on a Sunday, when you could be watching football.

Create a homework space. This should be a quiet, well-lit study area for your student with ample space to sprawl out their books and study materials. Ideally, this space should be free from distractions such as televisions, cell phones, or anything else that might capture your child’s attention. Check in on your student to see what support or resources they may need.

Communicate with your child's teacher. It is vital to have an open line of communication with your student’s teacher in order to understand tasks, homework, and the teacher’s expectations. The more you interact with your child’s teacher, the stronger the parent-teacher relationship will be.

Implement a homework routine.   Erich Zeller , Instructional Consulting Manager at MIND, shared his insights on the best way to create a homework routine. “Your child will benefit from knowing where, when, and how homework will play out when they get home. Set up a clean, quiet and comfortable place where homework is done. Set a time that homework is done. This could be after they come home and have a snack or after dinner, but keep it consistent. Give breaks: work for 15 min, get 5 min break. If homework takes more time than your child can handle, be an advocate. Ask the teacher how long it should take.”

Model a Positive Attitude. As mentioned above, children learn from us and often adopt our feelings towards things, including homework or how we approach tasks. If you say things like, “Math is hard” or “I’m not a math person”, chances are, your child may also adopt those feelings. Be positive and express a positive attitude towards homework. If you experience math anxiety, explore  and model ways of dealing with it, like reframing and practicing mindfulness techniques . Don't be afraid to talk openly about the role that homework plays in learning and make it a habit to reinforce that the work your child is doing is important. Encourage your student to persevere and problem-solve. Productive struggle and mistakes are where growth happens!

Do the hardest thing first. “ Don't wait, ” were the two words that Brian LeTendre , Director of Content and Communications, said when offering his best homework advice for students and parents. “ Do the hardest thing first. If you leave the hardest thing for last, often you won't have the time, focus, or energy it requires. Completing the most difficult task first will set the tone of your homework session, and inspire you to keep going. And the earlier you start, the more time you give yourself to get everything done. ” Doing the hardest thing first and planning how to approach a problem is a great way to build metacognitive skills.

Encourage Problem-Solving. Brandon Smith , MIND's Lead Mathematician, expressed the value of encouraging a problem-solving mindset. “ Most importantly, help a student expose their reasoning without giving away any how-to’s on the problem. As they make their assumptions known and persist in solving the problem, not only do students learn the concept better, they also build core skills in productive thinking. The more effortful and intentional the learning is, the deeper it goes and longer it holds. ” To hear Brandon talk more about this, check out the “ Reframing Project- and Problem-Based Learning ” episode of Inside Our MIND podcast .

Teach Don't Tell. “ After school, there is no answer key. To prepare for this, it is important for children to develop the ability to check their own work and to learn from their mistakes, ” Matthew Feldmann , Vice President, Product explained. “ When reviewing your child's homework, rather than telling a student that they answered a specific question incorrectly, you can ask them to find their mistake and correct it. You can also build this skill when you are working with your child on a specific question. If they ask ‘Did I get this right?’, rather than answering with yes or no, ask them ‘How could you check it?’ or ‘What's another way you could solve this problem?’. This approach has the added advantage of helping students develop multiple strategies for solving problems. ”

Start a Dialogue. “W hen your child is working on homework, use that as an opportunity to help them think about and communicate their thinking. This will help them process what they are learning, learn from their mistakes, and make connections to things they have already learned, ” explained Twana Young , Director Product - Instructional Development. Som e things you might say include:

• Tell me about the problem you are solving.
• What strategy are you using?
• Why did you choose that strategy?
• Talk me through what you tried and why you think it didn’t work.
• Show me where you think the mistake might be and let’s see what we learn from it?
• Have you ever done anything like this before?
• What are things that you know that might help you solve this problem?

Homework Types

Not all homework is the same! Homework is assigned for a variety of reasons and understanding your child's assignment, the teachers' goals, and what concept your student is important. The understanding of differing homework types will help to add value around why certain homework is assigned and what it's trying to teach your child.

Here are four examples of homework you might see this year:

• Practice Homework: This type of homework is assigned to help your child with concept mastery and to help reinforce learning taught in the classroom.
• Preparation Homework: Preparation homework introduces content that will be taught in the classroom in future lessons.
• Extension Homework: This type of homework asks students to apply their skills and critical thinking to new content or a special project, often assigned over a period of time.
• Integration Homework: Integration homework requires students to apply varying skills to a single task, such as a class presentation, book reports or a science fair project.

Has your teacher assigned ST Math as homework? Read our Parent's Guide to ST Math at Home blog post or check out our Parent Resources page.

Related Parent Resources:

• The Role of Parents and Students in Game-based Learning
• Pre-K and Kindergarten Math Activities for Families
• Parents, 4 Pitfalls to Avoid When Your Kids Are Learning Fractions
• Getting Parents Involved in STEM and STEAM Education

About the Author

Jolene Haley was the Content and Community Specialist at MIND Research Institute. In addition to creating content for MIND, she is an author, avid reader, and lover of iced coffee.

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11 Best Homework Tips for Parents

As a parent, your involvement in your child's homework can significantly impact their academic success. A well-structured homework routine not only reinforces classroom learning but also helps build essential life skills such as responsibility and time management. However, striking the right balance is crucial; parents should guide and support their children without taking over the tasks. This approach fosters independence and confidence in their abilities.

According to recent statistics, U.S. parents spend about 6.2 hours a week helping their kids with homework. This substantial investment of time underscores parents' critical role in their children's educational journey. Providing the right support, children develop strong study habits and a positive attitude toward learning, setting them up for long-term success.

Establish a Routine

Creating a consistent homework schedule is essential for your child's academic success. Setting a specific time each day for homework helps establish a routine that can make the process smoother and more predictable. For example, having your child start their homework immediately after a healthy snack and some downtime post-school can be effective. Alternatively, you might prefer a routine where homework begins right after dinner, ensuring your child is well-rested and ready to focus.

Regular study times help children understand that homework is a priority and not something to be done haphazardly. This consistency can reduce procrastination, making it easier for your child to manage their workload and avoid last-minute stress. Moreover, a well-structured routine fosters discipline and time management skills, essential traits that will benefit them throughout their educational journey and beyond. Establishing this habit early on sets the stage for a successful academic experience.

Create a Conducive Environment

Creating a conducive environment for homework is crucial for helping kids stay focused and productive. Effective homework practices begin with setting up a quiet, distraction-free workspace. This could be a dedicated desk in their bedroom, a corner of the living room, or a cozy nook in the home office. The key is to ensure the area is free from common distractions like TV, loud noises, or frequent foot traffic.

Ideal homework spaces should be well-lit and equipped with all necessary supplies, such as pencils, paper, a computer, and any other materials your child regularly uses. Keeping these items within reach minimizes interruptions and helps maintain a smooth workflow. Organization plays a vital role in maintaining focus; a clutter-free workspace can significantly enhance concentration and efficiency. By creating a well-organized and quiet study area, you provide your kids with a structured environment that supports their learning and helps them develop effective study habits.

Encourage Organization

Among homework tips for parents is teaching your child to stay organized. You can make a significant impact by introducing tools such as planners, calendars, and to-do lists. These tools help children learn to prioritize their assignments, track deadlines, and break down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, using a weekly planner can help them allocate time for each subject, ensuring a balanced approach to their workload.

Digital tools like Trello or Notion can also be incredibly useful. These platforms allow kids to create project boards for each subject, with cards for individual assignments, due dates, and priority levels. This visual method helps them see what needs to be done and plan accordingly.

Structured planning benefits students by reducing stress and increasing productivity. When children know exactly what tasks they need to complete and when they are less likely to feel overwhelmed and more likely to approach their homework with confidence and efficiency. Encouraging these organizational habits early on can set the stage for academic success and lifelong time management skills.

Be Available for Guidance

It's important to balance offering support and allowing kids to handle their homework independently. Being available for guidance means being there to answer questions and provide encouragement but not doing the work for them. This approach helps children develop critical problem-solving skills and fosters a sense of independence.

According to a study in The Elementary School Journal, there are three main types of dependent help-giving: "parent as a student," "parent as partner," and "parent as reminder." In the "parent as a student" model, the parent's involvement is so high that the child does very little independently. The "parent as partner" model involves more collaboration, but the child still relies heavily on the parent. The "parent as reminder" model, the least dependent form, involves parents prompting and reminding, allowing more room for the child’s independent work. While these types of help can be necessary, they can also hinder the development of self-efficacy and independence.

Additionally, consider leveraging peer-to-peer learning platforms like Tutorpeers. Such platforms connect students with their peers who can offer assistance and explain concepts in a relatable manner. This support can be incredibly beneficial, providing kids with the help they need while promoting collaborative learning. You help your child build the skills necessary for academic success by encouraging independence and problem-solving.

Break Tasks into Smaller Chunks

Tackling large assignments can often feel overwhelming for kids, making it crucial to break tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. This approach helps them learn to handle big projects without feeling daunted, improving their productivity and reducing stress.

For instance, if your child has to write a lengthy essay, guide them to break it down into smaller steps: brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, writing a draft for each section, and then revising the complete essay. Similarly, for a large science project, they can start with research, then move on to drafting the report, creating visual aids, and finally rehearsing their presentation.

Dividing tasks into smaller parts makes the overall workload seem less intimidating and helps children stay focused on completing each step. This method not only boosts their confidence but also enhances their time management skills, as they learn to allocate appropriate time for each segment. By teaching your child to break down their tasks, you are equipping them with valuable homework strategies for managing their work effectively and efficiently.

Teach Time Management Skills

Effective time management is a crucial skill that can significantly affect how well kids handle their homework. Parents can help by teaching their children to set realistic goals and deadlines for each assignment. This practice encourages them to manage their time wisely and reduces the likelihood of procrastination.

One useful technique is the Pomodoro Technique , which involves working in focused intervals (typically 25 minutes) followed by a short break. This method helps maintain concentration and productivity, making it easier for kids to complete their homework efficiently. For example, after 25 minutes of focused study, your child can take a 5-minute break to relax and recharge before starting the next session.

A study by Deslandes, Rollande & Rousseau, Michel. (2023). Long-term students’ management strategies and parental involvement in homework at the elementary level at International Journal about Parents in Education found that as children progress from grade 4 to grade 6, they tend to take fewer initiatives to manage their homework time and emotions. However, parental involvement can significantly help in fostering these management strategies, particularly for monitoring motivation and managing time effectively. By maintaining a supportive presence, parents can guide their children to develop strong time management skills that will benefit them throughout their academic journey and beyond.

Praise Effort, Not Just Results

Recognizing and praising your child's effort rather than just their results is essential for building confidence and motivation. Good parenting is crucial in helping kids understand that hard work and persistence are just as important as achieving high grades. This approach fosters a growth mindset, encouraging children to view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.

For example, if your child has been diligently working on a challenging math problem, praise their perseverance and dedication, regardless of whether they got the right answer. You could say, "I'm proud of how hard you worked on that problem. Your effort is really impressive!" This type of encouragement emphasizes the value of effort and resilience.

A study by Zhang, Zengxia. (2024). Parent’s Involvement in Homework: The Effects of Parental Reactions to Pupils’ Emotions on Academic Performance at Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences further emphasizes the importance of quality parental involvement. It found that while parents' support positively impacts children's homework completion and emotional well-being, the focus should be on providing emotional comfort and encouragement rather than solely aiming for grade improvement. Parents who recognize and address their children's negative emotions related to homework, such as frustration or fear, help build a supportive environment that enhances their children's learning experiences.

Focusing on progress and hard work can help kids develop a positive attitude toward learning. This boosts their confidence and motivates them to keep trying, even during difficult tasks. Celebrating small victories and improvements reinforces the idea that learning is a journey, and every step forward is an achievement worth acknowledging.

Communicate with Teachers

Maintaining open lines of communication with your child's teachers is essential for supporting their homework and learning journey. By staying informed about assignments and your child's progress, you can better understand their strengths and areas where they may need extra help.

Regular check-ins with teachers, whether through emails, phone calls, or parent-teacher conferences, allow you to stay updated on upcoming projects and tests. These interactions also provide opportunities to discuss your child's performance and any challenges they may be facing. For instance, scheduling a monthly meeting with the teacher can help you keep track of your child's academic progress and address any concerns promptly.

Collaborating with teachers on homework strategies for improvement ensures that you are aligned in your efforts to support your child's education. Teachers can offer valuable insights and suggestions tailored to your child's needs, helping you create a more effective homework routine at home. By working together, you can foster a supportive learning environment that encourages your child to thrive academically.

Model Good Habits

As parents, demonstrating effective study and work habits can significantly influence your child's approach to homework and learning. By practicing good habits yourself, you set a powerful example that can inspire your child to adopt similar practices.

Show your child how you manage your time, organize tasks, and stay focused on your goals. For instance, let them see you working on a project, reading a book, or planning your week. This visibility helps them understand the importance of dedication and perseverance. Explain your processes and why they are effective, making it clear that these habits contribute to your success.

Leading by example encourages children to develop their own effective study routines and organizational skills. When they see you prioritizing your work and managing your time well, they are more likely to emulate these behaviors. By modeling good habits, you provide a practical framework that can help your child succeed academically and in other areas of life, reinforcing the idea that disciplined practices lead to positive outcomes.

Encourage Reading

Encouraging kids to develop strong reading habits is essential for their overall learning and academic success. Reading regularly not only enhances vocabulary and comprehension skills but also fosters critical thinking and creativity. Parents can play a pivotal role in instilling a love for reading by providing a variety of engaging materials.

Introduce your child to different genres and formats, such as e-books, audiobooks, blogs, and educational websites. This variety keeps reading interesting and accessible, catering to their interests and preferences. For instance, if your child enjoys technology, they might be more inclined to read e-books or educational blogs on their tablet or computer.

The benefits of reading extend beyond academic performance. It helps kids learn to focus, improves their writing skills, and expands their knowledge of the world. By making reading a regular and enjoyable part of your child's routine, you help them build a lifelong habit that supports continuous learning and personal growth.

Monitor Screen Time

In today's digital age, it's crucial for parents to monitor their kids' screen time to ensure a healthy balance between electronic device usage and homework. Setting clear boundaries for when and how long your child can use devices helps prevent distractions and promotes a more focused approach to their studies.

Establish rules such as no screen time during homework hours, except for educational purposes. Encourage your child to engage in other creative activities like reading, drawing, playing board games, or doing puzzles. These activities not only provide a break from screens but also stimulate the mind in different, beneficial ways.

Balancing screen time with homework and other activities teaches kids to manage their time effectively. It helps them develop a routine that includes productive study periods and enriching off-screen experiences. By guiding your child to use their time wisely, you foster habits that contribute to their overall well-being and academic success.

Parental involvement in homework is crucial for a child's academic success. By applying these homework tips for parents, you can provide the support and guidance your children need while fostering independence and strong study habits. Establishing routines, creating a conducive environment, and teaching time management are just a few ways to make a positive impact.

Encourage your child to stay organized, praise their efforts, and communicate openly with their teachers. Additionally, leveraging peer-to-peer learning platforms like Tutorpeers can offer valuable support and resources, enhancing your child's learning experience.

By actively participating in your child's education and applying these practical tips, you can help them develop the skills and confidence needed to excel academically. Remember, your involvement not only boosts their performance but also instills a lifelong love for learning, setting them up for continued success.

Q: Is it OK for parents to help with homework? A: Yes, it is OK for parents to help with homework, but it's essential to balance providing support and fostering independence. Be available for guidance and answer questions, but avoid giving direct answers or doing the work for them. Instead, guide them toward finding solutions and encourage them to develop problem-solving skills.

Q: Should I check my child's homework? A: Checking your child's homework can help identify areas where they may need extra support or encouragement. However, avoid being overly intrusive or controlling. Focus on providing constructive feedback and praising their efforts and improvements rather than just pointing out mistakes.

Q: Can I refuse homework for my child? A: As a parent, you can discuss concerns about homework with your child's teacher or school administration, but outright homework refusal may not be advisable. Homework is typically assigned to reinforce learning and help students develop essential skills. Addressing concerns through open communication with the school and working together to find solutions is a more practical approach.

Q: What percent of parents are helping with homework? A: The percentage of parents who help with homework varies, but studies have shown that many parents are involved in their child's homework to some extent. Parental involvement can positively impact a child's academic performance, but it's essential to provide guidance and encouragement without hindering their independence and problem-solving abilities.

Q: How to motivate kids to do homework? A: To motivate kids to do homework, try establishing a consistent routine, creating a conducive environment, breaking tasks into smaller chunks, teaching time management skills, and praising effort rather than just results. Involving your child in setting goals and acknowledging their achievements can also encourage them to stay motivated and engaged in their learning process.

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9 Smart Tips for Homework Success

Help kids manage their homework load with these strategies..

Even children who enjoy doing homework can lose their enthusiasm for it over the course of the school year, and find ways to stall or avoid doing it. But after-school study time is important, both for reinforcing the day’s learning and for lending structure to your child’s day.

“Homework isn’t just about academics,” says Karen Burke, SVP of Data Analysis and Academic Planning, Scholastic Education Solutions. “It can help students create routines and build responsible behaviors.”

Playing cop rarely works — micromanaging and nagging only make kids feel incapable or frustrated. Instead, think of yourself as a coach and cheerleader. 

“Generally, the idea of homework should be to help students set goals, build independence, and practice applying the knowledge they are gaining,” says Burke.

To help you get there, we asked teachers and parents to share their strategies for solving the most common homework struggles. These 10 tips will bring harmony back into your homework routine, whether your child is a kindergartner or 5th grader, perfectionist or procrastinator.

1. Do It Early

Give your child a time frame in which to get down to business. In your household, this may be before or after extracurriculars.

Work with your child to identify the time when their energy and focus are at their peak. This gives your child some control over their schedule. (Some kids need a longer break after school, and others need to start right away to keep the momentum going.) 

However, plan on 5 p.m. being the latest they can start their homework.

2. Phone a Friend

From kindergarten onward, kids should have a list of three or four classmates they can call on when they forget an assignment, or even just to ask a question. Study buddies can provide motivation for each other to get the work done. 

3. Collaborate to Build Confidence

When kids don’t understand a concept right away, they may feel like they’re not smart enough and start to shut down, says Sigrid Grace, a 2nd grade teacher in Michigan. 

Short-circuit negative thinking by sitting down with your child and figuring out the first problem in the assignment together. This should help jog their memory to complete the rest. Then, heap on the praise: “You did a great job on that one! Try the next one now.”

4. Change the Scenery

Sometimes something as simple as changing up their workspace can boost a child’s motivation and, in turn, their confidence. If your child has been working alone at a desk or designated study nook, perhaps they’d be more comfortable doing their homework in a public area, like the kitchen table while you’re preparing dinner. 

Conversely, if they’ve been working in a high-traffic part of the house, they might need a more private space in which to focus. 

5. Keep the Positive Feedback Coming

Younger kids need instant feedback, so it’s okay for parents of young grade-schoolers to correct mistakes, says Grace, the 2nd grade teacher. Follow this up with specific praise about what your child has done well.

6. Leave the Room

“Kids who drag things out are often doing so for your attention — they’re enjoying the interaction on some level,” explains Grace. “Avoid joining in.”

If you must stay in the room, have your child work in a spot that’s farther away from whatever you’re doing.

7. Beat the Clock

Sometimes procrastinators just need a jump-start. If that’s true for your child, try this: 

Set a timer for five minutes and have your child work as quickly and steadily as they can until the timer goes off. At that point, they can choose to take a short break or keep going — many kids continue.

“Racing against a timer gives kids an external sense of urgency if they don’t have an internal one,” says Ann Dolin, a former educator. 

However, a timed work session is not an excuse for sloppy work. Make sure your child reviews theirs before submitting it.

8. Plan, Plan, Plan

To get the most out of your days, include every appointment — from sports practice to meals to reading time — on a big calendar or schedule log and stick it in a central place where every member of the household can see it. 

If you know that certain nights present a conflict with your child’s homework schedule, you can ask for the week’s assignments upfront and work with your child to decide the best times to complete them, says Cathy Vatterott, a professor of education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

“Teachers will often work with you on this, but most parents are afraid to ask,” she says.

9. Let ’Em Vent 

If your child is resisting doing their homework — or worse, is tearing up over it in frustration — soothe any pent-up worries by letting them complain. Listen, empathize (“Wow, that is a lot of work”), and state their feelings back to them (“You sound upset”). 

Once your child feels understood, they’ll be more likely to accept your suggestions, says Dolin — and better able to focus on what needs to be done.

You can also help by talking to your child about what they remember from class and steering them to the textbook. If they’re still lost, have them write a note to the teacher explaining that they don’t understand.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, tips to help if your child is struggling with homework , and more resources for starting the year off right . 

Shop workbooks and learning kits to support good homework habits. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

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Homework: The Good and The Bad

Homework.  A single word that for many brings up memories of childhood stress. Now that you’re a parent, you may be reminded of that feeling every time your child spills their backpack across the table. You also may be questioning how much homework is too much and wondering how you can best help your child with their schoolwork.

Here, Dr. Cara Goodwin of Parenting Translator explains what the research actually says about homework. She outlines specific ways parents can support their kids to maximize the academic benefits and develop lifelong skills in time management and persistence.

In recent years, many parents and educators have raised concerns about homework. Specifically, they have questioned how much it enhances learning and if its benefits outweigh potential costs, such as stress to the family.

So, what does the research say?

Academic benefits vs risks of homework

One of the most important questions when it comes to homework is whether it actually helps kids understand the content better. So does it? Research finds that homework is associated with higher scores on academic standardized tests for middle and high school students, but not for elementary school students (1, 2).

In other words, homework seems to have little impact on learning in elementary school students. 

Additionally, a 2012 study found that while homework is related to higher standardized test scores for high schoolers, it is not related to higher grades.

Not surprisingly, homework is more likely to be associated with improved academic performance when students and teachers find the homework to be meaningful or relevant, according to several studies (1, 3, 4). Students tend to find homework to be most engaging when it involves solving real-world problems (5).  

The impact of homework may also depend on socioeconomic status. Students from higher income families show improved academic skills with more homework and gain more knowledge from homework, according to research. On the other hand, the academic performance of more disadvantaged children seems to be unaffected by homework (6, 7). This may be because homework provides additional stress for disadvantaged children. They are less likely to get help from their parents on homework and more likely to be punished by teachers for not completing it (8).

Non-academic benefits vs risks of homework

Academic outcomes are only part of the picture. It is important to look at how homework affects kids in ways other than grades and test scores.

Homework appears to have benefits beyond improving academic skills, particularly for younger students. These benefits include building responsibility, time management skills, and persistence (1, 9, 10). In addition, homework may also increase parents’ involvement in their children’s schooling (11, 12, 13, 14).

Yet, studies show that too much homework has drawbacks. It can reduce children’s opportunities for free play, which is essential for the development of language, cognitive, self-regulation, and social-emotional skills (15). It may also interfere with physical activity, and too much homework is associated with an increased risk for being overweight (16, 17). 

In addition to homework reducing opportunities for play, it also leads to increased conflicts and stress for families. For example, research finds that children with more hours of homework experience more academic stress, physical health problems, and lack of balance in their lives (18). 

Clearly, more is not better when it comes to homework.

What is the “right” amount of homework? 

Recent reports indicate that elementary school students are assigned three times the recommended amount of homework. Even kindergarten students report an average of 25 minutes of homework per day (19).

Additionally, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that homework has been increasing in recent years for younger students. Specifically, 35% of 9-year-olds reported that they did not do homework the previous night in 1984 versus 22% of 9-years-old in 2012. However, homework levels have stayed relatively stable for 13- and 17-year-olds during this same time period. 

Research suggests that homework should not exceed 1.5 to 2.5 hours per night for high school students and no more than 1 hour per night for middle school students (1). Homework for elementary school students should be minimal and assigned with the aim of building self-regulation and independent work skills. A common rule , supported by both the National Education Association (NEA) and National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), is 10-minutes of homework per grade in elementary school. Any more than this and homework may no longer have a positive impact. Importantly, the NEA and the National PTA do not endorse homework for kindergarteners.

How can parents best help with homework?

Most parents feel that they are expected to be involved in their children’s homework (20). Yet, it is often unclear exactly how to be involved in a way that helps your child to successfully complete the assignment without taking over entirely. Most studies find that parental help is important but that it matters more HOW the parent is helping rather than how OFTEN the parent is helping (21).

While this can all feel very overwhelming for parents, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to ease the homework burden and best support your child’s learning.

1. Help only when needed.

Parents should focus on providing general monitoring, guidance and encouragement. Allow children to generate answers on their own and complete their homework as independently as possible . This is important because research shows that allowing children more independence in completing homework benefits their academic skills (22, 23). In addition, too much parent involvement and being controlling with homework is associated with worse academic performance (21, 24, 25). 

What does this look like?

• Be present when your child is completing homework to help them to understand the directions.
• Be available to answer simple questions and to provide praise for their effort and hard work.
• Only provide help when your child asks for it and step away whenever possible.

2. Have structure and routines.

Help your child create structure and to develop some routines. This helps children become more independent in completing their homework. Research finds that providing this type of structure and responsiveness is related to improved academic skills (25).

This structure may include:

• A regular time and place for homework that is free from distractions.
• Have all of the materials they need within arm’s reach.
• Teach and encourage kids to create a checklist for their homework tasks each day.

Parents can also help their children to find ways to stay motivated. For example, developing their own reward system or creating a homework schedule with breaks for fun activities.

3. Set specific rules around homework.

Research finds that parents setting rules around homework is related to higher academic performance (26). For example, parents may require that children finish homework before screen time or may require children to stop doing homework and go to sleep at a certain hour. 

4. Emphasize learning over outcome.

Encourage your child to persist in challenging assignments and frame difficult assignments as opportunities to grow. Research finds that this attitude is associated with student success (20). Research also indicates that more challenging homework is associated with enhanced school performance (27).

Additionally, help your child to view homework as an opportunity to learn and improve skills. Parents who view homework as a learning opportunity rather than something that they must get “right” or complete successfully to obtain a higher grade are more likely to have children with the same attitudes (28). 

5. Stay calm and positive.

Yes, we know this is easier said than done, but it does have a big impact on how kids persevere when things get hard! Research shows that mothers showing positive emotions while helping with homework may improve children’s motivation in homework (29)

6. Praise hard work and effort. 

Praise focused on effort is likely to increase motivation (30). In addition, research finds that putting more effort into homework may be associated with enhanced development of conscientiousness in children (31).

7. Communicate with your child’s teacher.

Let your child’s teacher know about any problems your child has with homework and the teachers’ learning goals. Research finds that open communication about homework is associated with improved school performance (32). 

In summary, research finds that homework provides some academic benefit for middle- and high-school students but is less beneficial for elementary school students. As a parent, how you are involved in your child’s homework really matters. By following these evidence-based tips, you can help your child to maximize the benefits of homework and make the process less painful for all involved!

For more resources, take a look at our recent posts on natural and logical consequences and simple ways to decrease challenging behaviors .

• Cooper, H., Robinson, J. C., & Patall, E. A. (2006). Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987–2003.  Review of educational research ,  76 (1), 1-62.
• Muhlenbruck, L., Cooper, H., Nye, B., & Lindsay, J. J. (1999). Homework and achievement: Explaining the different strengths of relation at the elementary and secondary school levels.  Social Psychology of Education ,  3 (4), 295-317.
• Marzano, R. J., & Pickering, D. J. (2007). Special topic: The case for and against homework.  Educational leadership ,  64 (6), 74-79.
• Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O., Schnyder, I., & Niggli, A. (2006). Predicting homework effort: support for a domain-specific, multilevel homework model.  Journal of educational psychology ,  98 (2), 438.
• Shernoff, D. J., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Schneider, B., & Shernoff, E. S. (2014). Student engagement in high school classrooms from the perspective of flow theory. In  Applications of flow in human development and education  (pp. 475-494). Springer, Dordrecht.
• Daw, J. (2012). Parental income and the fruits of labor: Variability in homework efficacy in secondary school.  Research in social stratification and mobility ,  30 (3), 246-264.
• Rønning, M. (2011). Who benefits from homework assignments?.  Economics of Education Review ,  30 (1), 55-64.
• Calarco, J. M. (2020). Avoiding us versus them: How schools’ dependence on privileged “Helicopter” parents influences enforcement of rules.  American Sociological Review ,  85 (2), 223-246.
• Corno, L., & Xu, J. (2004). Homework as the job of childhood.  Theory into practice ,  43 (3), 227-233.
• Göllner, R., Damian, R. I., Rose, N., Spengler, M., Trautwein, U., Nagengast, B., & Roberts, B. W. (2017). Is doing your homework associated with becoming more conscientious?.  Journal of Research in Personality ,  71 , 1-12.
• Balli, S. J., Demo, D. H., & Wedman, J. F. (1998). Family involvement with children’s homework: An intervention in the middle grades.  Family relations , 149-157.
• Balli, S. J., Wedman, J. F., & Demo, D. H. (1997). Family involvement with middle-grades homework: Effects of differential prompting.  The Journal of Experimental Education ,  66 (1), 31-48.
• Epstein, J. L., & Dauber, S. L. (1991). School programs and teacher practices of parent involvement in inner-city elementary and middle schools.  The elementary school journal ,  91 (3), 289-305.
• Van Voorhis, F. L. (2003). Interactive homework in middle school: Effects on family involvement and science achievement.  The Journal of Educational Research ,  96 (6), 323-338.
• Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2018). The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children.  Pediatrics ,  142 (3).
• Godakanda, I., Abeysena, C., & Lokubalasooriya, A. (2018). Sedentary behavior during leisure time, physical activity and dietary habits as risk factors of overweight among school children aged 14–15 years: case control study.  BMC research notes ,  11 (1), 1-6.
• Hadianfard, A. M., Mozaffari-Khosravi, H., Karandish, M., & Azhdari, M. (2021). Physical activity and sedentary behaviors (screen time and homework) among overweight or obese adolescents: a cross-sectional observational study in Yazd, Iran.  BMC pediatrics ,  21 (1), 1-10.
• Galloway, M., Conner, J., & Pope, D. (2013). Nonacademic effects of homework in privileged, high-performing high schools.  The journal of experimental education ,  81 (4), 490-510.
• Pressman, R. M., Sugarman, D. B., Nemon, M. L., Desjarlais, J., Owens, J. A., & Schettini-Evans, A. (2015). Homework and family stress: With consideration of parents’ self confidence, educational level, and cultural background.  The American Journal of Family Therapy ,  43 (4), 297-313.
• Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Battiato, A. C., Walker, J. M., Reed, R. P., DeJong, J. M., & Jones, K. P. (2001). Parental involvement in homework.  Educational psychologist ,  36 (3), 195-209.
• Moroni, S., Dumont, H., Trautwein, U., Niggli, A., & Baeriswyl, F. (2015). The need to distinguish between quantity and quality in research on parental involvement: The example of parental help with homework.  The Journal of Educational Research ,  108 (5), 417-431.
• Cooper, H., Lindsay, J. J., & Nye, B. (2000). Homework in the home: How student, family, and parenting-style differences relate to the homework process.  Contemporary educational psychology ,  25 (4), 464-487.
• Dumont, H., Trautwein, U., Lüdtke, O., Neumann, M., Niggli, A., & Schnyder, I. (2012). Does parental homework involvement mediate the relationship between family background and educational outcomes?.  Contemporary Educational Psychology ,  37 (1), 55-69.
• Barger, M. M., Kim, E. M., Kuncel, N. R., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2019). The relation between parents’ involvement in children’s schooling and children’s adjustment: A meta-analysis.  Psychological bulletin ,  145 (9), 855.
• Dumont, H., Trautwein, U., Nagy, G., & Nagengast, B. (2014). Quality of parental homework involvement: predictors and reciprocal relations with academic functioning in the reading domain.  Journal of Educational Psychology ,  106 (1), 144.
• Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Robinson, J. C. (2008). The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: a meta-analysis of research findings.  Psychological bulletin ,  134 (2), 270.Dettmars et al., 2010
• Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2016)
• Pomerantz, E. M., Grolnick, W. S., & Price, C. E. (2005). The Role of Parents in How Children Approach Achievement: A Dynamic Process Perspective.
• Haimovitz, K., Wormington, S. V., & Corpus, J. H. (2011). Dangerous mindsets: How beliefs about intelligence predict motivational change.  Learning and Individual Differences ,  21 (6), 747-752.Gollner et al., 2017
• Hill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: a meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement.  Developmental psychology ,  45 (3), 740.

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The Value of Parents Helping with Homework

Dr. selena kiser.

• September 2, 2020

The importance of parents helping with homework is invaluable. Helping with homework is an important responsibility as a parent and directly supports the learning process. Parents’ experience and expertise is priceless. One of the best predictors of success in school is learning at home and being involved in children’s education. Parental involvement with homework helps develop self-confidence and motivation in the classroom. Parents helping students with homework has a multitude of benefits including spending individual time with children, enlightening strengths and weaknesses, making learning more meaningful, and having higher aspirations.

How Parental Involvement with Homework Impacts Students

Parental involvement with homework impacts students in a positive way. One of the most important reasons for parental involvement is that it helps alleviate stress and anxiety if the students are facing challenges with specific skills or topics. Parents have experience and expertise with a variety of subject matter and life experiences to help increase relevance. Parents help their children understand content and make it more meaningful, while also helping them understand things more clearly.

Also, their involvement increases skill and subject retention. Parents get into more depth about content and allow students to take skills to a greater level. Many children will always remember the times spent together working on homework or classroom projects. Parental involvement with homework and engagement in their child’s education are related to higher academic performance, better social skills and behavior, and increased self-confidence.

Parents helping with homework allows more time to expand upon subjects or skills since learning can be accelerated in the classroom. This is especially true in today’s classrooms. The curricula in many classrooms is enhanced and requires teaching a lot of content in a small amount of time. Homework is when parents and children can spend extra time on skills and subject matter. Parents provide relatable reasons for learning skills, and children retain information in greater depth.

Parental involvement increases creativity and induces critical-thinking skills in children. This creates a positive learning environment at home and transfers into the classroom setting. Parents have perspective on their children, and this allows them to support their weaknesses while expanding upon their strengths. The time together enlightens parents as to exactly what their child’s strengths and weaknesses are.

Virtual learning is now utilized nationwide, and parents are directly involved with their child’s schoolwork and homework. Their involvement is more vital now than ever. Fostering a positive homework environment is critical in virtual learning and assists children with technological and academic material.

Strategies for Including Parents in Homework

An essential strategy for including parents in homework is sharing a responsibility to help children meet educational goals. Parents’ commitment to prioritizing their child’s educational goals, and participating in homework supports a larger objective. Teachers and parents are specific about the goals and work directly with the child with classwork and homework. Teachers and parents collaboratively working together on children’s goals have larger and more long-lasting success. This also allows parents to be strategic with homework assistance.

A few other great examples of how to involve parents in homework are conducting experiments, assignments, or project-based learning activities that parents play an active role in. Interviewing parents is a fantastic way to be directly involved in homework and allows the project to be enjoyable. Parents are honored to be interviewed, and these activities create a bond between parents and children. Students will remember these assignments for the rest of their lives.

Project-based learning activities examples are family tree projects, leaf collections, research papers, and a myriad of other hands-on learning assignments. Children love working with their parents on these assignments as they are enjoyable and fun. This type of learning and engagement also fosters other interests. Conducting research is another way parents directly impact their child’s homework. This can be a subject the child is interested in or something they are unfamiliar with. Children and parents look forward to these types of homework activities.

Parents helping students with homework has a multitude of benefits. Parental involvement and engagement have lifelong benefits and creates a pathway for success. Parents provide autonomy and support, while modeling successful homework study habits.

• #homework , #ParentalInvolvement

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Your Age-by-Age Guide to Homework

Are you scared to look in your child’s book bag at the end of the day?

And I’m not talking about the forgotten sandwiches that migrate to the bottom of a full backpack.

I mean the dreaded homework assignments that loom within folders and binders, just waiting to be ignored and fought over for the rest of the evening.

Typically when parents think of the word “homework”, they quickly associate it with the term “fight”.

But homework doesn’t have to be a fight – a struggle at times, yes, but now a full out war.

Understanding what homework looks like at each grade level is a great start to helping support your child in completing their school work.

Also, the earlier you focus on creating an environment of learning and studying, the easier time your child will have as they progress through school.

Here’s your guide on setting up your child for academic success as well as what kind of homework to expect for each grade:

Setting Up For Success

From day one, homework is important in developing good study skills.

In order to encourage your child to complete their homework and take it seriously, you need to establish a proper homework environment .

Here are some tips for setting your child up for homework success:

• Set a regular homework time. Homework should be done at the same time each evening to establish a routine. Just make sure you’re allowing your little one some time to decompress when they get home before jumping into more schoolwork.
• Create a study area. Give your child a place to with proper lighting, materials and few to now distractions.
• Keep an eye on their work. Involve yourself in the process not only by helping them with homework, but monitoring their progress as well.
• Be a role model. While you may not have homework at this stage in your life, you can model good study habits by reading and pursuing your own learning opportunities.

You may think your child is a little Einstein when they start school, but the learning material will progressively get more difficult as they age.

Encouraging good study habits will give them the skills they need to continue their success through school.

Grade-by-Grade Homework Guide

Kindergarten.

When your little one is in kindergarten, it’s likely they won’t have much for homework.

However, you may find the teacher sending home easy tasks such as practicing sight words, letters, numbers and working on patterns.

Since there shouldn’t be a lot of academic expectation from children this young, it’s easy to navigate the homework by making it fun and play-based.

Children learn best through tactile activities, so materials such as PlayDoh can be used to create numbers and letters as well as designing patterns using different colors.

A whiteboard is a great tool to practice what they are learning, especially sight words. Write out the word, have your child read it and let them erase it before moving on to the next one.

Kindergarten homework tends to be pretty repetitive, meaning that your child is likely going to practice the same material each night on a week-to-week basis.

Even if your little one is catching on quick to the material, it’s important to keep up with the homework habit. This is going to help them develop healthy studying habits as they move from grade to grade.

Elementary School: Grades 1 to 2

Once your child moves from kindergarten into grade 1, the learning environment becomes less play-based and more academic.

This doesn’t mean you can’t continue making homework fun! At this age, their focus is still on playing, so you can keep using novel materials when doing homework.

The workload is likely not going to increase during these grades, but the material may become more challenging.

In order to keep homework from becoming too time consuming, you may have to mix straight-up review with play.

Use unique activities when it comes to concepts your child is struggling with and quick reviews for the learning objectives they have easily grasped.

By these grades, teachers typically encourage your child to be reading. This aspect of homework can be delayed until bedtime – which makes reading seem less like “work” and more like a leisurely activity.

Elementary School: Grades 3 to 5

By the time your little one enters grade 3, and until they finish elementary school, they should begin to complete their homework independently.

While it’s important that you remain on standby to help them with difficult concepts, you should be able to set up each homework activity and allow them to complete them on their own.

During this time, students begin to progress from simply practicing basic skills and mastering them onto more complex skills.

This means that homework is going to become more challenging, which is why focusing on a good homework routine during these grades is very important.

If you find your child resisting their homework at this age, there’s nothing wrong with offering an incentive for completing it. Try to stay away from monetary rewards and focus more on fun activities they can engage in once homework is completed.

Remember to not make homework seem like a cumbersome chore – instead, cheer your child on as they work through it. Praise them for doing a good job.

Middle School: Grades 6 to 8

Once your child hits middle school, they should be able to complete their homework assignments on their own.

Homework at this grade level is going to shift more heavily from practicing concepts to completing assignments such as essays and projects.

This is the beginning stages of the foundation of study skills they will need to succeed in high school as well as college or university.

During this time, students are beginning to rely more on technology to complete their assignments. Make sure your child has access to a tablet or computer they can use to conduct research as well as seek help for their homework.

However, it’s important for you to stay involved in their progress. Regular check-ins with their homework will not only help your child stay on track but it will also show them that you want to be involved in their education.

High School: Grades 9 to 12

It’s in high school where a student’s homework load balloons and becomes more time consuming than it was before.

Luckily, kids at these grade levels are able to choose a portion of their courses, so they have a vested interest in what they are learning.

However, with all the changes they are experiencing emotionally and physically, this period of their lives can be extremely stressful.

Maintaining that homework routine is more important now than ever. Stressed-out teens may become overwhelmed with the workload and feel compelled on throwing in the towel on completing homework assignments.

Continue to be supportive by helping them plan and prepare for homework assignments as well as tests and exams .

While you may not be able to help them with the homework material (what is “new” math, anyway?), you can certainly lend a hand when it comes to time management and getting the homework done.

You Can Make the Difference

When left to their own devices, children can’t be expected to take their schoolwork 100% seriously.

It’s your job as the parent to support and guide them through their homework and assignments.

Building good habits now is going to make all the differences as your child progresses through school.

How do you deal with homework hurdles? Share your tips in the comments!

My name is Chelsy and I am a single mother, blogger, and freelance writer. I blog about parenting at Motherhood+Mayhem (motherhoodandmayhem.online) and about working from home at Mama Needs Coffee (mamaneedscoffee.online). When I'm not writing or blogging, you can find me building blanket forts in my living room.

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7 Easy Ways to Help Your Kids To Finish Their Homework…

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Family Conflict Resolution: 6 Worksheets & Scenarios (+ PDF)

It is perhaps unrealistic to expect that relationships remain harmonious all the time; occasional disconnections and disagreements are a fact of life that can help a family grow and move forward, accommodating change (Divecha, 2020).

Repeating patterns of conflict, however, can be damaging for family members, especially children, negatively affecting mental and physical wellbeing (Sori, Hecker, & Bachenberg, 2016).

This article explores how to resolve conflict in family relationships and introduces strategies and activities that can help.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free . These science-based tools will help you and those you work with build better social skills and better connect with others.

This Article Contains:

How to resolve conflict in family relationships, 2 examples of conflict scenarios, 3 strategies for family counseling sessions, 6 activities and worksheets to try, a note on conflict resolution for kids, 3 best games and activities for kids, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

“Families typically develop certain basic structural characteristics and interactive patterns that they utilize to respond to internal and external stressors.”

Goldenberg, 2017, p. 4

Built on shared assumptions and narratives that exist within the family structure, family members support the group as it adapts and copes with shifting environments and life events.

Such structures, at times, may support and even promote conflict that occurs within families. Indeed, rifts, clashes, and disagreements within the family can take many forms, including physical, verbal, financial, psychological, and sexual (Marta & Alfieri, 2014).

Therapy has the potential to help a family understand how it organizes itself and maintains cohesion, while improving how it communicates and overcomes problems that lead to conflict (Goldenberg, 2017).

As psychologist Rick Hanson writes, “a bid for repair is one of the sweetest and most vulnerable and important kinds of communication that humans offer to each other” (cited in Divecha, 2020).

Crucially, families can learn to navigate the inevitable tension and disconnection that arise from falling out of sync with one another (Divecha, 2020).

Repairing ruptures resulting from miscommunication, mismatches, and failing to attune to one another is vital for parenting and maintaining family union. But how?

While there are many ways to recover from and resolve conflict, the following four steps are invaluable for authentic repair (modified from Divecha, 2020):

• Acknowledge the offense Try to identify and understand the hurt you’ve caused. Whether intended and with apparent good reason or not, this is a valuable opportunity to dial down your defenses and focus on how the other person is feeling.

Acknowledging the hurt without adding caveats is a powerful way to show humanity.

It can help to check your understanding, “Did I upset you? Help me understand how.” Your approach must be open and authentic; unless heartfelt, it risks escalating emotions.

• Express remorse Sometimes, simply saying, “I’m sorry,” is enough, or at least an excellent place to start.

Take care though. Adding a comment, such as, “Well, you shouldn’t have done X,” weakens your expression of remorse, especially when dealing with children. They are learning from what you do – right and wrong.

Also, don’t go overboard. Being too quick to say sorry or going over the top with an apology can make it more about yourself than the person hurt.

• Offer a simple explanation If the other person is ready to listen (neither too upset nor too angry), a brief explanation can clarify the thinking behind your actions.

Remember to focus on the other person’s experience rather than a litany of excuses for poor behavior. And avoid using this as an opportunity to add grievances or assign blame for issues that have arisen recently.

• Learn and practice expressing your intentions to fix the situation and stop it from happening again. Be sincere. Say that you are sorry and mean it.

There is little point in apologizing and recovering from conflict if you intend to repeat the behavior.

Conflict is often avoidable. But if it isn’t, then it is possible to recover and maintain family relationships through authentic activities that repair damage (Divecha, 2020).

Family therapy can help resolve conflicts within the family unit through multiple routes, including:

• Exploring various relationships that make up the family.
• Bringing couples and families together to resolve interpersonal conflicts rather than treating them separately.
• Focusing on interventions with entire families rather than individuals.
• Establishing the role of dysfunctional families in individual mental health problems.

Family conflict can appear in all shapes and sizes. While minor disagreements between siblings may be resolved quickly, major rifts can form between child and parent, damaging previously strong bonds.

All relationships within a family can at one time or another descend into conflict. Two such examples include (modified from Goldenberg, 2017):

• Conflict over money Bob and Tess are married with two children. In therapy, Tess claims that Bob is mean with his money: checking grocery bills and yelling at the cost of their children’s birthday presents. Along with other relationship issues, conflict had led them to sleep in separate rooms.

Bob argues he works hard for his money and gives her a generous amount each month, but Tess spends beyond their means.

During therapy, it became clear that Bob comes from a working-class family and was taught from an early age to live frugally. His long-standing beliefs underpin (but do not excuse) his outbursts.

In time, therapy helps them become more supportive of one another, giving up their underlying power struggles and successfully moving away from stereotypical gender roles.

• Cultural and intergenerational conflict Despite Indira and Sanjay Singh moving to the United States while they were still at preschool age, they have retained the cultural and moral values of their place of birth: India. When their two children were born, they were also taught to be compliant and respect their parents, while friends from school were discouraged.

As the children grew older, it became clear that the conflict between the old and new culture was causing a rift, dividing children and parents. Despite reluctance from the parents, in time, all four attended family therapy and began to deal with cultural differences and expectations arising from multiculturalism.

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Conflict in family situations can be “chronic and unresolved,” cycling through “periods of emotional distance and closeness with intense negative feelings” (Metcalf, 2011, p. 45).

In family therapy, the many theories offer different lenses through which to view the world and, most importantly, help families manage and resolve conflict (Metcalf, 2011).

The following strategies can help protect the family from or cope with conflict in its many forms.

Build an environment of connection and understanding

Divecha (2020) suggests that by building an environment of connection and understanding, you can “create a family culture where rifts are expected and repairs are welcomed.”

Encourage clients to make small but vital changes to the family setting (modified from Divecha, 2020):

• Watch out for the easily missed signs that indicate a child, young adult, or partner wishes to find a way to reconnect and recover from conflict.
• Normalize requests, such as, “I need a repair” and “Can we have a redo?” that tell us a family member is ready to fix a damaged relationship.
• Maintain awareness. If we think we may have caused upset or harm, circle back and check in with the other person.

Building a better environment through frequent repairs can catch problems early and reduce the likelihood of escalation.

Use “I” statements

How we say something can have a significant impact on what others hear. Encourage family members to express how they feel without blaming others, such as (modified from Goldenberg, 2017):

“I am hurt by what you said last night” rather than accusations, such as, “You were out of order last night.”

Speak directly to the therapist

There may be times during a therapy session when tension between family members heightens and the emotional intensity needs to be de-escalated (Goldenberg, 2017).

A helpful communication technique is to ask the family member talking to address the therapist directly. This refocus encourages the speaker to express themselves more calmly and allows the other person time and space to listen and respond under less pressure.

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Interventions in family therapy exist to help the individual by improving family engagement and effectiveness and reduce the adverse outcomes of caregiving (American Psychological Association, 2011).

The following activities focus on exploring family structures, beliefs, and problem-solving behavior to avoid or resolve conflict within the group.

Recognizing Family Narratives

Use the Recognizing Family Narratives worksheet to identify narratives that explain and justify the structure and interactive patterns that exist within the family.

The constructs we form can enable or inhibit how we cope with conflict and other life events within the family (Goldenberg, 2017).

Parenting With Purpose

Parenting can be difficult; it is easy to lose sight of what is important. Defining meaning and purpose for ourselves as parents and our children can offer a valuable compass for day-to-day decision-making (Hart, 2006).

The Parenting With Purpose worksheet is a helpful reminder of your values and purpose as a parent.

The answers to the questions can help you understand what kind of relationship you would like with your children and why.

What Is Working Within the Family?

While it is essential to identify and fix what is causing conflict within a family, it is equally valuable to recognize what is working.

Once we recognize where we are successful in a relationship, it can remind us that not everything is terrible. We are doing some things right, and we have something upon which we can build.

The What Is Working worksheet helps identify and share the positives in the relationships within the family.

Recognize that conflict doesn’t occur in the family all the time and encourage the activities that unite you as a group.

Meeting Our Family’s Needs

Sura Hart (2006, p. 175), former teacher and education project director for the Center for Nonviolent Communication, says that “you can find conflict in every human story, and in the conflict situation you can find the needs people are wanting to meet.”

Use the Meeting Our Family’s Needs worksheet to help each family member have their needs heard, understood, and, ultimately, accepted.

Consider Your Intentions

Words have the power to share love and anger. Without clear and conscious intention, it is possible to communicate unhelpful and even harmful messages (Hart, 2006).

Use the Consider Your Intentions worksheet to identify and understand your intentions and help you respect and care for other family members’ needs.

Perform an early check on your intentions before you engage with the other family member, especially if it has the potential to turn into conflict.

Using the answers, consider how you can show positive intentions and steer clear of harmful intentions, such as proving yourself right.

Seeing Family Conflict as a Problem to Solve

Conflict isn’t always to be avoided; clashes can be productive, stimulating learning, fostering understanding, and moving a relationship forward (Hart, 2006).

However, some conflict is unnecessary and avoidable, especially regarding daily tasks, such as tidying the house, going to bed, and completing chores.

Use the Seeing Family Conflict as a Problem to Solve worksheet to help recognize everyday actions as problems to overcome rather than points of contention.

14 Effective conflict resolution techniques – BRAINY DOSE

“Life is a series of mismatches, miscommunications, and misattunements that are quickly repaired” says family researcher Ed Tronick (cited in Divecha, 2020).

Children can learn from the family environment that conflict need not be out of proportion to the situation and may, ultimately, lead to positive change.

It helps when family relationships are overwhelmingly positive. Make sure to make “special time” available for each child, where they have control over what you do and for how long, writes Divecha (2020). Learn to show gratitude and appreciation for what the child does more readily without it becoming predictable and unthinking.

Board games such as Monopoly, Checkers, and Life can be played as a pair or a family. The children see that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from their parents’ reaction to losing.

More physical, active games such as Tag or Hide and Seek allow the whole family to have fun, while, importantly, seeing each other having fun. Children need to experience their parents as humans with a wish to enjoy themselves. Parents benefit from experiencing their family laughing – a reminder that life is not all about duty and rules.

Quieter pastimes, including art and craft, can be a time to build and use mindfulness practices, considering colors, textures, and smells. Interactive activities such as making funny characters out of play dough or houses out of Lego is fun and beyond rules or feelings of failure.

17 Exercises To Develop Positive Communication

17 Positive Communication Exercises [PDFs] to help others develop communication skills for successful social interactions and positive, fulfilling relationships.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Family conflict can often be avoided. The following resources help individuals gain a greater understanding of other family members’ needs and feelings.

• Mind the Gap Identify and share the values you would like to exist within your family, such as love, trust, compassion, and teamwork.
• Conflict at School Conflict outside the home can have an impact inside. Help your children to reflect on the relationships they have at school.

Additional reading and resources include:

• Conflict Resolution in Relationships and Couples: 5 Strategies For more ideas on how to resolve conflict in other types of relationships, read our conflict resolution in relationships article.
• 14 Conflict Resolution Strategies & Techniques for the Workplace This article about conflict resolution in the workplace is a helpful additional read, especially where the lines between family and work is blurred – working in the family business, working from home – these all can cause conflict so be sure to have a look at this article too.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others communicate better, check out this collection of 17 validated positive communication tools for practitioners. Use them to help others improve their communication skills and form deeper and more positive relationships.

It is vital that families learn to survive – and even grow – under adverse conditions. The family unit faces daily challenges from outside and conflict from within that can upset the internal stability that rests upon existing narratives, shared beliefs, and sometimes mistaken assumptions (Goldenberg, 2017).

It can become less about preventing all conflict, which is impossible, and more about creating a family environment that reduces unnecessary friction, repairs rifts and misunderstandings, grows, and moves forward.

Our communication – what we say and how we say it – remains crucial and can improve over time with practice and an improved awareness of one another’s needs. Family members can also learn skills and techniques to improve self-regulation, resilience, and coping that strengthen internal structures.

This article introduces tools and worksheets that help remove avoidable conflict and manage and resolve it within the family unit, where disagreement is inevitable. Try them out with your clients or within your own family to improve engagement, strengthen relationships, and build a more supportive and resilient family structure.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Communication Exercises (PDF) for free .

• American Psychological Association. (2011). Family interventions. Retrieved October 6, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/pi/about/publications/caregivers/practice-settings/intervention/family
• Divecha, D. (2020, October 27). Family conflict is normal; it’s the repair that matter s. Greater Good. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/family_conflict_is_normal_its_the_repair_that_matters
• Goldenberg, I. (2017). Family therapy: An overview . Cengage Learning.
• Hart, S. (2006). Respectful parents, respectful kids: 7 Keys to turn family conflict into co-operation . PuddleDancer Press.
• Marta, E., & Alfieri, S. (2014). Family conflicts. In A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research . Springer.
• Metcalf, L. (2011). Marriage and family therapy: A practice-oriented approach . Springer.
• Sori, C. F., Hecker, L., & Bachenberg, M. E. (2016). The therapist’s notebook for children and adolescents: Homework, handouts, and activities for use in psychotherapy . Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

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Thank you for the resources on family conflict resolution. I am working with a family that is really challenged.

We have had major conflicts in the family with me, my husband, who is the stepdad, and my grown kids. One speaks to us but lives on the northern East Coast. Haven’t seen him in 5 years. The other grown child is my daughter. She has had no contact with us of any kind for 5 years. I look forward to learning how to defuse conflicts and then grow healthy relationships, with my kids especially.

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9 Easy Homework Help Tips Every Parent Should Know

How can you as a parent establish healthy homework habits in your child, starting from a young age? We’ve compiled some tips and tricks to help you provide effective homework help and to ensure your child develops the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

1. Designate a Quiet Study Space for Your Child

Setting aside a dedicated space for children to concentrate and work in can really help them focus on their homework assignments. This space should have all the supplies they need (pens, calculators, highlighters, etc.), have good lighting, and be comfortable for doing schoolwork. 

Ideally, it should be an area with few distractions, so it should be away from areas where lots of people are coming and going.

2. Set a Schedule; Help With Time Management

Help your child establish a “homework time” so that they have a regular routine of doing homework, like right after school. 

Setting time limits can be useful. Try not to spend more than 20 minutes working on an assignment. Any time spent longer than that results in greater frustration for you and your child, which will not be helpful. Instead, take a break, go outside for a walk, play a game, and have a mental reset before tackling the problem again.

For larger assignments or projects, assist your child in breaking them down into manageable pieces. Together, you can develop a schedule for completing each part, reinforcing positive homework habits and ensuring that they stay organized and focused.  

3. Limit Tech and Media Exposure

Model for your child turning off the phone, social media, and the TV in order to maximize focus and productivity. Engaging with these distractions while your child is doing homework can undermine their efforts to develop effective homework habits, so keep in mind what you are doing while they are working on assignments. 

Notifications and alerts can break concentration and focus, so it’s best to teach your child how to minimize distractions by just turning those things off.

4. Do Your "Homework" At The Same Time

While your child is working on homework, try to work on some of your own “homework” assignments, like balancing the checkbook, paying bills, finishing a take-home project from work, or simply reading quietly. 

Modeling concentration-based tasks like this will help your child focus during homework time. This strategy is even more effective if you can tie your own “homework” to your child’s assignment, helping them see the real-world value of what they are learning.

5. Be An Adviser and a Consultant

Although some assignments do specifically call on students to enlist their parents, the point of homework in general is to provide practice for the student. 

When your child comes to you for homework help, offer strategies to help guide them in the right direction, and model your thought process aloud. This is to help your child feel confident following the same steps independently. 

Hold back on giving too much guidance, though, especially in situations where you know the answer but don’t understand the teacher’s directions yourself. For example, you may be given a math problem that you know how to solve, but you don’t understand the teacher’s methodology. In this case, it may be more helpful to coach your child to remember what the teacher said rather than showing your way of solving it. That may end up confusing your child even more.

Additionally, if you come across a homework problem that you can’t answer, it's okay to admit that you don't know how to solve it. Being able to admit to your child that you don't know is more helpful than trying to do the problem without knowing what's going on. Even acknowledging and empathizing with your child will help alleviate the stress they may feel from their homework.

6. Make a "Phone-a-Friend" List

Many children will experience confusion on the details of an assignment or mix up due dates at some point. When this happens, calling on a friend from class can be a lifesaver. 

If your child doesn’t have friends to reach out to, help make a list of three or four classmates that they can call if ever a little clarification or reminder is needed.

7. Talk With Your Child's Teacher

Every teacher has his or her own philosophy and system regarding homework. Many educators have specific procedures about how homework should be completed and turned in, as well as their own incentive systems in place for students. 

Connect with your child’s teachers, and ask them what their expectations are for homework and how they feel that you can best support your child. Being on the same page can help you see where your child may struggle and guide you in determining how to motivate and encourage them.

8. Hear Your Child Out

Everybody has tough days—things don’t go as planned, schedules fall behind, and events don’t go our way. 

During those days, allow your child to vent and talk things out. Acknowledge these frustrations, and empathize with your child to help him or her understand his or her feelings. This will help your child feel validated, blow off some steam, and follow your suggestions more readily. 

Once your child has had a chance to vent, encourage them to get started on the task and focus on what needs to get done. If your child continues to struggle, try the following:

• Write out the thought process. Perhaps you're working through the various steps to the process, but having a hard time getting to the right answer. Encourage your child to write out their thought process. Your child can then bring this work to their teacher to get feedback or more instruction on what they could've done differently to get to the right answer.
• Look at an example/sample problem. Typically, homework problems have some elements from an in-class sample, which you can utilize for solving their current homework assignment.
• It's okay to let your child suffer a little. In the end, don't get anxious or nervous about a homework problem your child can't tackle. Allowing your child to struggle through something will teach them perseverance, endurance, and grit. Additionally, teaching them to ask for homework help when needed is a valuable life skill that will serve them well in the future.

9. Model a Positive Attitude

As a parent, you can model a positive attitude toward homework which can rub off on your child. Express your own interest in the subject of your child’s assignments, and be sure to talk about the role that homework plays in doing well in school, learning new things, retaining information, and gaining life skills.

Remind them that growth doesn’t happen without some struggle, but that they can always approach you for help if they need it.  

Struggling to keep your child motivated during home learning? Discover tips to prevent burnout , like establishing routines, engaging through creativity and real-world connections, and incorporating physical activity breaks.

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Homework Letter to Parents | Email Templates

As a teacher, communicating with parents about the homework expectations for their children is crucial for fostering a successful learning environment. Crafting a homework letter that is both informative and engaging can be a challenging task. That’s why we’ve created a list of homework letter-to-parents templates that you can use to effectively communicate with parents about the assignments, expectations, and goals for their child’s homework. In this article, we’ll go over the key elements of a successful homework letter, and provide you with a customizable template that you can use for your classroom.

The key elements of an effective homework letter to parents include

• A clear introduction that establishes your purpose and goals for the homework,
• A detailed explanation of the assignments, expectations, and grading policies,
• A schedule outlining when homework is due, and a section dedicated to answering frequently asked questions or addressing concerns.
• Additionally, adding information or resources about how parents can support their child’s learning at home and providing resources for additional support can also be helpful.

These elements will help ensure that parents are well-informed about their child’s homework and can effectively support their child’s academic success.

Example of detailed Homework letter to parents

I hope this email finds you, your child, and in good health. I wanted to take the time to talk about the value of homework and how it may aid in your child’s development as we begin the new school year. I’ve designed a template for a homework letter to parents that I’ll be using this year to assist keep you informed about your child’s homework requirements.

The homework template was created to give you succinct, clear information about the homework assignments, goals, and expectations for your child. It will also include a schedule explaining when homework is due, as well as a part devoted to addressing any worries you might have or frequently asked questions.

I’ll explain how the assignment helps your child learn in the introduction, as well as its purpose and goals. You can have a clear grasp of what is expected of your child by reading the thorough explanation section. This section defines the assignments, expectations, and grading guidelines. You may assist your child manage their time by giving them the due dates as per the timetable area.

I have also included some resources to help your child’s learning at home. You can learn how to support your child’s academic success.

I am aware that parents and students alike may find the topic of homework to be difficult, which is why I am providing this homework letter. I hope that this template will make it easier for you to support your child’s learning by having a clear understanding of the homework expectations.

If you have any questions or concerns about the homework letter to parents template, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I am always available to discuss your child’s academic progress and answer any questions you may have.

Thank you for your continued support in your child’s education.

Homework letter to parents templates

• Dear parent, This is a reminder that it is your child’s responsibility to bring their homework assignments home. We encourage you to make sure your child has their work ready with them each day so we all spend less time on this task and more time on teaching. Missing homework assignments may result in a lower grade for the assignment or even being taken out points from the report card altogether. Please see attached a list of missing homework assignments from your child’s class.
• Dear Parent, We are writing to inform you that we have not received homework from your child for the following subjects [list]. If we do not receive this assignment by 2024, your child will receive a zero grade on all assignments until the missing homework is submitted. We thank you in advance and appreciate your help with this matter.
• Dear parent, we noticed that your child did not hand in his/her homework. We will do our best to ensure your child does not miss out on learning from this lesson. Please ensure that your child brings home their homework next week. Thank you for your time and cooperation.
• Dear Parent, It is important that your child complete their homework on time each night. Please help them by discussing the importance of homework completion and encouraging it to be done every night. Thank you.
• Dear Parent, It has been brought to our attention that your child has been missing homework. We are asking that you remind your child of the importance of homework. Please ensure it is being completed daily, as this greatly helps your child in the classroom. Thank you for your time and cooperation.
• Dear parents, Please see below a list of your child’s missing homework assignments. Please check if there are any questions you may have and then sign the form at the end. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank You,
• Dear Parent, Your student has not turned in the homework assignment. Please see that they bring it with them tomorrow. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at [number]. Thank you for your time. Sincerely,
• Dear parent, this is our weekly homework reminder. We would appreciate it if you could check and make sure that your children have their homework completed. That way, they will be capable of focusing on school work instead of struggling to complete missing assignments in class. Thank you for your help.
• Dear Parent, your child has been marked absent for missing homework. Please see the attached document for more information.
• Dear Parent, I am sending this email to notify parents that the assignment [name] was not turned in. I hope that the assignment will be returned soon.
• Dear Parent, We noticed that you missed the lesson titled [name] on Monday. This lesson was designed to help your child develop a better understanding of grammar and sentence structure, which are crucial skills to learn as they grow into successful adults. To access this lesson again and complete the homework assignment please visit the link. If you have any questions or concerns during this process please do not hesitate to contact me. 

More Simplestic Templates: 

• Email to parents about academic concerns
• Positive Email to Parents from Teacher: 15 Example Emails

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Download: Homework contract for your child

Homework can be a hot-button issue for both you and your child. Setting up a homework contract is a good way to defuse some of that tension and avoid homework battles. Here are two sample contracts you can download.

By Amanda Morin

Expert reviewed by Bob Cunningham, EdM

A homework contract is an agreement that outlines what you and your child will do to make sure homework gets done on time and well. It can help your child develop good study habits and become a more independent learner.

Homework contracts can also outline rewards and consequences for kids when they follow or don’t follow their part of the contract.

Download the homework contract

Homework contract for grade-schoolers PDF - 183.8 KB

Homework contract for middle-schoolers and high-schoolers PDF - 145.2 KB

You can tailor your contract to address your child’s specific homework challenges. For example, if your child struggles with time management, the contract can lay out what time of day the homework needs to be done.

Fill out the contract together to make sure your child understands what’s being agreed on. Revisit the contract as your child’s workload changes or if things aren’t working as you expected.

More resources

Get tips for common homework challenges .

Listen to a podcast episode about avoiding homework battles .

Learn about using rewards and consequences .

Explore related topics

How To Create Kindergarten Homework That Parents And Kids Will Love

Kindergarten homework is not developmentally appropriate.  There I said it.  Five-year-olds are not meant to sit down to do paper and pencil tasks about reading and writing.  Somewhere along the way, someone who was most definitely not a kindergarten teacher decided that five and six-year-olds MUST read by the end of kindergarten. 

This created unrealistic expectations of teachers to somehow overcome brain science and teach students how to read.  Teachers began assigning sight word homework in addition to leveled readers and math worksheets.  Suddenly, kindergarten kids have as much homework as older elementary students.  Yet, there are no studies to support the notion that homework in kindergarten helps kids to achieve more. 

Some teachers have stopped assigning homework altogether but others are required to assign kindergarten homework.  Read on to find developmentally appropriate ways to assign kindergarten homework that parents will love.

Teachers Under Pressure

The pressure put on teachers to have all kindergarten students meet the same high academic standards at the same time is completely unrealistic.  Then that pressure was transferred to teachers who decided that in order to achieve this goal, they needed to share the responsibility with parents.  Then parents decided that they need  kindergarten homework to help them to achieve this goal.

This notion isn't all bad.   Sharing learning responsibilities with families is a productive way to help students achieve and giving parents activities and skills to practice at home is certainly helpful.   The problem is that we've lost sight of what we know is natural child development.   

So what can teachers do to help their young students to practice skills at home but still allow them to be kids?  We can start by giving students a variety of homework options rather than requirements.  In distance learning or remote learning situations, teachers are under even more pressure!  Check out this page for some distance learning types for Kindergarten teachers. 

Keep Homework Fun!

Kids work hard all day (or for half the day) at school.  They don't need to go home to sit with worksheets and pencils to continue to practice sight words (which the latest brain research doesn't support anyway, but that's a blog post for another day). 

In school, we know that all kids have different learning styles so we need to remember this when assigning homework.   Sending the same worksheet with each student is not differentiating.  You can differentiate homework by giving students options and allowing families to choose the activities that are the best fit for their students.

Keep “assignments” fun and engaging with a variety of ways to practice important foundational skills.  Think about how you design engaging centers and apply that to homework.  Practice writing letters and numbers in sand, finger paint or shaving cream!  Create math problems with toys or breakfast cereal.  Play games with dice to develop number sense and social skills like taking turns.  There are so many fun possibilities!

Give Families Homework Options!

Think about your academic goals for the week or the month.  Then create a list of 15 – 20 choices full of skills you want your students to practice.  This can be a list, a chart, or even a calendar!  You can send this list home to give families options and give kids some choice in their assignments. 

You can choose to include only academic tasks but I like to include some more developmentally appropriate skills that are often overlooked.  Skills like memorizing phone numbers and addresses are important things kids do not often do anymore.  You can add life skills like practice playing games (winning and losing with grace), tying shoes, helping to fold laundry and more.

I try to limit paper-pencil options.  However, when I do include them, I try to keep them open-ended.  For example, instead of practicing writing letters with a pencil, encourage students to write letters in sand or pudding.  If you want kids to practice writing, give them fun writing prompts or open-ended options.  For math practice, instead of doing a page of addition problems, have students tell and solve their own addition story problems using their favorite toys.  There are a lot of easy, no extra materials needed ways to practice these skills that won't stress kindergarten kids or parents.

Need to know more about assigning Kindergarten Homework?

How Do You Find the Time to Revamp Homework?

Time is one of the biggest challenges any teacher faces.  Finding time to rework your kindergarten homework assignments is difficult.  I can help!  Sign up for my e-mail list here and I will send you a completely free, editable homework menu to try in your classroom!  If you don't have time to create your own, I have monthly homework menus in my TPT store.  You can check them out here. 

I am hopeful that the pendulum is swinging back to more developmentally appropriate practices in kindergarten.  I'm happy to see that many districts across the country are returning to play-based learning in kindergarten.  This gives me hope!  In the meantime, let's try some new homework options for our youngest students.  What other suggestions do you have for homework in kindergarten?  I'd love to hear them!

One Comment

Your first statement in the last paragraph says it all! I have been making some noise about developmentally appropriate practices for years. We are beginning our school year with testing, testing, testing! I will be teaching students face to face and online at the same time. I have no idea where to start so I decided to do some research and found your site. I'm liking what I'm seeing so far. Please keep up the good work!!

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More parents opting out of school vaccinations, citing religious objections, since covid, there's been an increase in the number of parents not getting their kids vaccinated for diseases such as chicken pox, measles and polio..

Watch CBS News

Here are the most expensive and cheapest stores for school supplies

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: August 13, 2024 / 12:47 PM EDT / CBS News

Back-to-school shopping is well underway, with more than half of consumers already buying supplies for upcoming classes, according to a survey  from the National Retail Federation. With spending expected to reach $38.8 billion, according to the NRF, shoppers may want to do some homework before busting the family budget. 

Depending on the student's age, the tab for back-to-school supplies can vary. The NRF's projections, for instance, include those shopping for college and factor in products such as laptops, clothing and shoes. 

Other related costs include items for the extracurricular activities that 86% of parents report having enrolled their kids in ahead of fall classes. The average cost of supplies, including fees and equipment, comes to $582 a child, a survey by Deloitte  found .

Parents plan to spend an average of $586 per child on school items this year, according to the poll of 1,200 U.S.-based parents of school-aged children conducted in May. 

With that in mind, here are some cost-saving tips for back-to-school shopping.

Crayons, glue sticks and construction paper

Website FinanceBuzz offers a rundown of the most expensive and least expensive stores to load up on supplies for kids going to elementary, middle and high school. 

The site added up the total cost of 20 basic items: Crayons, glue sticks, construction paper, markers, pencil box, safety scissors, scientific calculator, notebooks, ruler, binders, loose-leaf paper, folders, backpack, lunch box, pencils, pens, highlighters, combination lock, dry-erase markers and a box of tissues. The average cost of those supplies came to $106.73, according to data the site collected from store websites.

In looking at 10 major retailers, FinanceBuzz found Walmart to be the least expensive, with prices for those 20 common items coming to $67.37, or 37% below average. At Dollar General and Target, those items could also be purchased for under $100, or $70.50 and $83.25, respectively. Fulfilling the list came to $101.60 at Staples, the fourth cheapest store to stock up on school supplies, according to the site.  

Michaels had the most expensive school supplies, with the FinanceBuzz team tallying up the cost at $185.28, nearly three times what it would cost for the same products at Walmart. Walgreens and Office Depot were the second and third most pricey, with the former costing $134.61 and the latter $121.55. The 20 items could be found on Amazon for $119.07, making the retailing giant the fourth priciest. 

Buying the supplies at Meijer would cost $109.25 and at Kroger the tab would run $114.01, according to the site, which noted that both grocers had become "everything" stores. 

Many people choose to shop online at Amazon due to the convenience, but the cost of shipping can surpass the value of some products, leading Amazon to hike those prices. "As a result, school items like crayons, construction paper and rulers are more expensive to buy from Amazon than any other retailer," the researchers noted. 

Research options, discounts

Consumer Reports advises taking the time to research your options, including deals, discounts and price comparisons.  

Another potential cost-saving measure is to ask teachers what supplies are needed right away and what purchases can be delayed, as there are still deals to be found after school starts, the nonprofit advocacy group offered.

Other tips from CR include searching for student discounts, as some retailers and brands run special promotions at this time — and some offer student discounts all year long. Those can include offers on tech, clothing, dorm supplies, phone plans and online subscriptions. 

Also, take advantage of sales tax holidays. More than a dozen of the 45 states that collect sales taxes have holidays from the levy during the summer.

CR also advises those looking for the biggest bang for their buck to spread out their shopping. Wholesale clubs can be a particularly thrifty move for large or multiple families who can divvy up bulk supplies. 

Keeping an eye on sales after you are done shopping can also cut costs. If something goes on sale after you bought it, you might be able to get some of your money back, depending on the retailer's policy. Some allow two weeks for such requests, according to CR. If that approach does not work, you can also return and repurchase the item, the consumer site said.

Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York, where she covers business and consumer finance.

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Easier than Homework: Get a REAL ID This Back-to-School Season

Contact:  Office of Public Affairs 2415 First Avenue Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 657–6437 |  [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 5, 2024

Sacramento – Nearly 17.9 million Californians now have a REAL ID – an increase of 154,759 from July 2024, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Schools are headed back into session and homework is on the horizon for many. But rest assured, your homework to get a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card is a quick assignment.

It is not necessary to wait for the federal enforcement date of May 7, 2025, that requires a REAL ID or other federally approved document to board flights within the United States and access secure federal facilities. Doing it now means one less thing to worry about in 2025 if you want to use your driver’s license or ID card to fly around the country.

“After the kids are dropped off at school, use your ‘me time’ to go to the DMV website to start the process to get your REAL ID. Do your homework and your trip to the office to complete the application will be quick,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon.

To apply for a REAL ID, Californians should visit  REALID.dmv.ca.gov , fill out the online application and upload their documents. Customers must visit a DMV office and bring their uploaded documents to complete the application. By starting the process online, it should only take about 15 minutes in the office. Customers need to provide:

• Proof of identity* – One original or certified document (example: valid passport, birth certificate) *Legal name change document(s) is required if name on proof of identity is different from the name on the other documents (example: marriage certificate, adoption papers).
• Proofs of California residency – Two documents, paper copies (example: utility bill, bank statement).
• Social Security number (exceptions may apply).

Visit  REALID.dmv.ca.gov  for a complete list of acceptable documents and a link to the online application.

Historical REAL ID information:

• Total REAL ID cardholders as of August 1, 2024: 17,857,636
• Total REAL ID cardholders as of July 1, 2024: 17,702,877
• Total REAL ID cardholders as August 1, 2023: 16,153,115

Online Services

The DMV has taken many steps to offer more digital services. Most DMV tasks do not require an office visit, including simple self-service transactions that are no longer available in offices. The DMV encourages customers to use its  online services  and other service channels to complete transactions, including eligible driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals. Customers can also use the  Service Advisor  on the DMV website to learn their options to complete DMV tasks.

To sign up for paperless vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal notices, customers must sign in or create a secure online account at  dmv.ca.gov , and then opt in.

Sign up to receive the latest DMV News Alerts: DMV NEWS ALERTS – California DMV

General Disclaimer

When interacting with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Virtual Assistant, please do not include any personal information.

When your chat is over, you can save the transcript. Use caution when using a public computer or device.

The DMV chatbot and live chat services use third-party vendors to provide machine translation. Machine translation is provided for purposes of information and convenience only. The DMV is unable to guarantee the accuracy of any translation provided by the third-party vendors and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information or changes in the formatting of the content resulting from the use of the translation service.

The content currently in English is the official and accurate source for the program information and services DMV provides. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the information contained in the translated content, please refer to the English version.

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The web pages currently in English on the DMV website are the official and accurate source for the program information and services the DMV provides. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the information contained in the translated website, please refer to the English version.

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• Letter to the Principal from the Parent: Format and Examples

Sample Letters for Parents to School Principal

If you need to write a leave application for school from parents, it’s important to present it clearly and formally. This guide will help you understand how to write an effective letter to the principal from the parent. We provide easy-to-follow guidelines and examples to ensure your request is properly communicated.

Whether it’s for a medical reason, a family event, requesting a school certificate from the principal, or any other situation, our samples and tips will make the process smoother and more efficient. Our examples for application to the principal cover various reasons for absence, ensuring you can address any situation with confidence. Follow our tips to ensure your application is complete and well-structured.

A leave application is a formal request made by parents to the school, seeking permission for their child to be absent for a specific period. This request could be due to various reasons such as medical appointments, family events, or personal reasons. A well-written leave application ensures clear communication and helps the school process the absence efficiently.

Format of Requesting a Letter to the Principal

Examples for Application To The Principal

Example 1: medical leave.

Subject: Leave Application for Medical Reason

Dear (Principal's Name),

I am writing to inform you that my child, (Child’s Name), who is in (Grade/Class), will be unable to attend school from (Start Date) to (End Date) due to a medical condition. We have scheduled a series of medical appointments during this period.

We kindly request you to grant (Child’s Name) leave for these days and provide any necessary assignments or homework that they will miss. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely, (Your Name) (Your Contact Information)

Example 2: Family Event

Subject: Leave Application for Family Event

I would like to request leave for my child, (Child’s Name), who is in (Grade/Class), from (Start Date) to (End Date) due to a family event. This event is significant for our family, and we would appreciate your understanding in granting this leave.

Please let us know if there are any assignments or activities (Child’s Name) should complete during their absence. Thank you for your consideration.

Best Regards, (Your Name) (Your Contact Information)

Example 3: Personal Reasons

Subject: Leave Application for Personal Reasons

I am writing to request leave for my child, (Child’s Name), who is in (Grade/Class), from (Start Date) to (End Date) for personal reasons. We understand the importance of school attendance and will ensure that (Child’s Name) makes up for any missed work.

Please grant this leave and provide any necessary information about missed assignments. Thank you for your understanding.

Key Points to Include While Writing An Application to the Principal

Clearly state the reason for the leave.

Mention the exact dates of absence.

Request any assignments or work to be completed during the leave.

Keep the tone formal and polite.

Guidelines for Writing a Letter to the Principal from the Parent

Be Clear and Concise : State the purpose of your leave clearly and avoid unnecessary details.

Maintain Formal Tone : Use a respectful and professional tone throughout the application.

Provide Specific Dates : Mention the dates for which leave is requested.

Request Assignments : If applicable, ask for any missed work to ensure your child stays on track.

Proofread : Check for any spelling or grammatical errors before sending the application.

Writing a leave application for school from parents is an essential skill for managing your child's absences efficiently. By following the outlined format and guidelines, you can ensure that your application is clear, professional, and well-received by school authorities. For further practice in writing a letter to the principal from the parent, try creating your leave application using the provided templates and examples.

Test Your Knowledge

What should be included in the subject line of a leave application?

a) The name of the child

b) The reason for leaving

c) The date of submission

d) The name of the teacher

How should you start the letter to the principal?

a) Dear (Principal's Name),

b) To Whom It May Concern,

d) Greetings,

What is the primary purpose of including the reason for leave in the application?

a) To provide background information

b) To justify the absence

c) To request special permission

d) To explain the family situation

Which of the following is NOT a necessary component of a leave application?

a) Duration of the leave

b) Reason for the leave

c) Specific dates of absence

d) Detailed medical history

Where should you mention any requests for assignments or homework?

a) At the beginning of the letter

b) In the middle of the letter

c) At the end of the letter

d) After the closing statement

How should you close the leave application letter?

a) With an informal sign-off like "Best Wishes,"

b) With a formal closing such as "Sincerely,"

c) With "Yours Truly,"

d) With "Cheers,"

Which of the following is a key guideline for writing a leave application?

a) Use informal language

b) Be vague about the reason for the leave

c) Be specific and clear

d) Avoid mentioning dates

If the leave application is for a family event, what should you ensure in the letter?

a) Detailed description of the event

b) Exact dates and duration of absence

c) Information about other family members

d) A lengthy explanation of personal reasons

How should you address the principal if you do not know their name?

a) Dear Sir/Madam,

b) Dear Principal,

c) To Whom It May Concern,

d) Dear School Administrator,

What is the purpose of proofreading your leave application before sending it?

a) To add more details

b) To ensure there are no errors and it is professional

c) To make it longer

d) To change the tone

Correct Answers:

Takeaways from this page.

Purpose : Leave applications are essential for informing the school about a child’s absence and ensuring that the absence is documented.

Structure : A well-organised leave application includes a clear subject line, reason for the leave, specific dates, and a polite closing.

Content : Always include the reason for the leave, dates, and any requests for homework or assignments.

Tone : Maintain a formal and respectful tone throughout the application.

Follow-Up : Ensure you follow up with the school if there are additional requirements or information needed.

FAQs on Letter to the Principal from the Parent: Format and Examples

1. What is the purpose of a leave application for school?

A leave application informs the school of a student's absence and provides reasons for the absence. It helps ensure that the school is aware of and approves the leave, and it facilitates arrangements for missed assignments or classwork.

2. What should be included in the subject line of a leave application?

The subject line should clearly state the purpose of the application, such as "Leave Application for Medical Reason" or "Request for Leave Due to Family Event."

3. How do I start the application to the principal?

Begin the letter with a formal salutation, addressing the principal or relevant authority by name if known, e.g., "Dear (Principal's Name),".

4. What details should be provided about the reason for the leave?

Clearly state the reason for the leave, such as medical reasons, family events, or personal reasons. Avoid providing unnecessary personal details and keep the explanation concise.

5. How do I mention the duration of the leave while requesting a letter to the principal?

Specify the exact dates for which the leave is requested. For example, "from (Start Date) to (End Date)."

6. How formal should the language be in an application to the principal?

The language should be formal and respectful. Avoid using slang or informal language, and ensure the tone is polite and professional.

7. Can I request a letter to the principal via email?

Yes, many schools accept leave applications via email. Ensure that you follow the school's preferred method of communication and attach any required documents if needed.

8. Is it necessary to provide documentation for medical leave?

It’s often helpful to provide a medical certificate or documentation if requested by the school, as it validates the reason for the leave.

9. What should I do if the leave is extended?

If the leave needs to be extended, inform the school as soon as possible with a new leave application or an update to the original request.

10. How early should I submit the leave application for requesting a letter to the principal?

Submit the leave application as early as possible, ideally before the leave period begins, to give the school ample time to process the request and make necessary arrangements.

11. What if my child has multiple absences?

For multiple absences, it’s best to provide a detailed explanation while requesting a letter to the principal and, if necessary, submit separate leave applications for each period of absence to keep the school informed.

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'We aren't safe in hospitals': Nationwide doctors' protest after Kolkata rape and murder

On August 9, doctors and medical students at RML Hospital staged a protest, demanding a CBI investigation into the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The incident has sparked outrage across the medical community.

In response, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has called for a nationwide shutdown of OPD services starting today, August 13, to press for justice in the case.

The protest is part of a larger movement by healthcare professionals demanding accountability and stricter measures to ensure the safety of medical staff.

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