Why It’s Important to Help — But Not Do — Your Child’s Homework
Strategies to Support Homework Without Taking Control
1. Create a Supportive Learning Environment
2. Establish a Homework Routine
Consistent habits help children manage time and expectations:
-Choose a regular homework time each day (e.g., after play/rest, before dinner).
-Start with easier tasks to build momentum, then transition to harder ones.
-Use a visual schedule or checklist to mark progress and tasks complete.
3. Ask Guiding Questions Instead of Giving Answers
Instead of solving problems for them, help them think through solutions:
-“What part of the question do you understand?”
-“What strategy could help you solve this?”
-“Can you break this into smaller steps?”
-“What do you think comes next?”
These questions help children become active learners.
4. Teach Study and Problem-Solving Techniques
-Equip your child with skills they can apply independently:
-Summarizing: Have them put instructions or ideas in their own words.
-Chunking: Break large tasks into smaller, manageable pieces.
-Self-checking: Teach them to reread instructions before answering.
Use “What I Know / What I Need to Learn” lists to organize thoughts.
5. Encourage Effort and Persistence
Praise process — not just correct results:
-“I really like how you tried different strategies.”
-“It’s great you kept working even when it was tricky.”
-Avoid only praising correct answers; focus on thinking and effort.
Practical Activities to Reinforce Learning
Ask brief questions about what they learned earlier in the week — this strengthens recall and confidence without pressure.
Turn new homework words into a game:
Have your child teach you what they just learned. Teaching reinforces understanding and highlights unclear parts.