How to Help Your Child With Homework without Taking Over

Recently, researchers analyzed nearly 400 research papers on education and discovered an interesting relationship between parental involvement and child development. They found that when parents actively engage in their child’s education, it helps foster a positive attitude toward learning.

Parents can support their children by helping with homework, encouraging class participation, and motivating them to participate in co-curricular activities. However, it is important to be cautious while helping with homework. Over helping, or doing their work, can make children dependent and hinder their learning process.

That's why it is crucial for parents to strike a delicate balance between helping their children with the homework without actually doing it for them. Here are a few tips on how you could help them.

Develop a Positive Attitude toward Homework

Everyone knows that children rarely love homework, and want to avoid it at every cost. In fact, many parents also view it as a heavy chore and may express frustration when their child is assigned too much. This reaction often creates a negative emotional atmosphere, which often results in children refusing to do their assignments.

So, you have to develop a positive attitude toward homework. Help your child see it as an opportunity to grow and learn new things. To motivate them, you can grab a book and sit nearby while they complete assignments, showing support without interfering.

Ph.D author Miriam Liss suggests that parents should remain busy while allowing their kids to navigate homework problems on their own. If they ask questions or keep struggling, then parents should step forward. Otherwise, just give them the feeling that you are near and available for their help.

Model Progressive Learning

What if your child gets stuck on a homework problem? In such moments, you should help in a way that makes them feel supported and confident, while also turning it into quality family time.

For this, there are two simple approaches. First, give them real life examples. For example, if they struggle with subtraction, you can give them different objects to count and understand the concept.

The second approach is to do their one task so that they could know how to do the rest. For example, you can solve one Math problem by explaining the process step by step. Then, let them try the remaining ones on their own.

The right approach will depend on your child’s learning style.

Make a Routine

Susan Kuczmarski, Ed.D, author of The Sacred Flight of the Teenager: A Parent’s Guide to Stepping Back and Letting Go, stresses on making a non-negotiable homework routine for your child. She suggests that parents and children should sit together, and come up with a specific time and place when they will do the homework.

For example, if your child wants some relaxing time after school, it is perfectly okay. Homework can start at 4 or 5 pm if it suits them. 

Also, help them in dividing their assignments and tasks in small chunks. Help your kid in setting daily goals, like breaking any specific science project into daily or weekly tasks. This will help your kid in learning things without feeling overwhelmed. 

Once they complete their specific goals, you can praise or reward them to keep them motivated.