It can be very difficult to study or work in a room that is full of noise or distractions, both for adults and children alike. Ideally, it would be nice if you had a spare room that you could turn into a mini-office for your child, so that he could go in there, do his work, and be left alone, with no television, phone, radio, or video games to distract him. If you do have an extra room, it is fairly easy to turn it into a great study area for your children. Make certain that you let them have some say in how things are put together in this room, since they will be spending a lot of time in there. If they need a computer for homework purposes, you might want to check on them from time to time, as they may give into the temptation to surf or chat with friends, rather than study.
If you are like many others, and room and space are at a premium in your home, then you will have to come up with another alternative for creating a study area for your child. IT doesn’t really matter where this area is in your home, as long as it is relatively quiet, and free from distractions. Many parents have their children do their homework seated at the kitchen table, so that they can keep an eye on them, and be there to help if questions arise. This area will work best if you have a cabinet nearby, so that you can store homework essentials close at hand for your child. This is also a great spot, because as you prepare dinner, you will be able to talk with your child about homework, school, etc. As they get older, you will really appreciate this opportunity.
Your child doesn’t need a massive space in which to study and do homework, so even if you live in a small house or apartment, you can still define a space for them. If your child ends up having to do homework in the living room or den for lack of space, make certain that everyone knows that the television stays off during that time, and that quiet is to prevail as much as possible. It may be best if you purchase a moveable cart or storage container for your child’s supplies, so that they can easily be moved from room to room. Help your child keep supplies and paperwork organized and together, so that he or she will be able to find what they need easily. A portable desk or tray would also be a good idea, so that your child will have a firm writing surface in which to work.
No matter how small your space may be, you can still create the perfect study space for your child. Maybe move some furniture around, add a few pieces here and there, a desk, cart, etc. Just remember, that even if you do setup the perfect study space, you still need to be the parent, and make certain that your child completes homework and assignments on time. You don’t have to stand over their shoulder the entire time, but you should be aware of what is going on, especially if your want your child to excel academically.
If you have children, particularly teenage children, then you likely already know how difficult it can be to get them to actually sit down and study or do homework. They can think of every excuse in the book, and list a million other things that have to be done now, rather than their homework. It can be an all out battle at your home just trying to convince your teen to study, but there are some things you do that will make this easier for you. You will have to learn to be firm, and be willing to follow thru with what you say, but you can get past the daily homework battles if you wish to do so.
Start talking to your teen about school in the summer, at least two weeks or so before the first day. Try not to lecture to your child, as they will only tune you out, but you do need to talk with them about the upcoming year, and your expectations of them academically. You may even want to sit down with them and write out some goals for the upcoming year as well. Address any thoughts or concerns that your child may have about the new school year, and let them know that you are there to help and support them as needed.
Let your teen help you design a space in your home for them to use for homework and studying. This needs to be done before the first day of school. Stock the area with basic needs, pens, paper, pencils, etc. Again, let your teen help in picking out supplies and choosing their space. Just make certain that they have a quiet area free of distractions, so that they can focus on their studies.
Sit down with your teen and setup an after school schedule for them. For example, if your teen gets home at 3:30pm, allow them 30 minutes after they come home for snacks, phone calls, etc., and then make it a rule that they start their homework by 4pm. Give them adequate time to complete their homework and do anything around the house that you give them as chores, and then allow the rest of the evening to be free time, until they go to bed. You need to be willing to give and take when it comes to this, don’t dictate every single thing to your teen. Make certain that homework comes before chores, free time, etc.
Many teenagers are busy and involved in many extracurricular activities outside of school. You can’t restrict them too much, but you should limit the amount of time they spend in these areas, so that they do have sufficient time to do homework, study, and get a full night’s rest. If your teen becomes overwhelmed, grades will start to fall, and then you will have a problem on your hands.
If your teen has problems with a particular subject, offer to help as needed, or find someone else who can help if you are unable to. You may even want to consider allowing your teen to participate in programs offered in the afternoons after school is over, which is often a great way to get some extra help on particularly difficult subjects, such as math. You will need to determine if they have fallen behind because they don’t understand, or if they have fallen behind because they aren’t doing the work and putting forth their best effort. If the latter is true, then it may be time to start talking about the potential consequence of their actions, losing privileges, etc. You may have to cut out all extra activities until the grades improve. No one wants to take drastic measures as a parent, but in some cases, that is the only way to get your child’s attention and let them know that you are serious about them sticking to the rules.
No one ever said that raising children would be an easy task, but you shouldn’t have to fight everyday just to get homework done. Be patient, set the rules and the consequences for breaking them, and then follow thru as needed.
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