After a long day of learning at school, the first thing any kid wants to do is sit down and focus in on more learning with their homework. As much as parents and teachers may wish this to be a reality, the truth is, homework is usually the last thing on a kid’s mind after school. Instead of fighting the uphill battle of getting your child to do their homework, turn the chore of homework into a rewarding experience with these tips and tricks to take the work out of homework.

Study Buddy
A lot of times, students can feel alone in their study struggles. Bridge the gap between parent and child by sitting down with your child while they are working on their homework. Whether you are helping them solve a math problem or chipping away at some of your own work, simply being there will help your child feel less alone and more motivated to complete their work. You never know, the streak may go both ways and motivate you to get some of your work done too.

If your busy schedule doesn’t allow time for homework, try pairing your child up with another student from their class who can work on homework assignments with them. Speak to teachers, parents, or your child to see if any other students in their class are interested in working with a study partner. Sometimes, a study buddy is all you need to lock in to your laser focus.

Game On
Most students dread homework time simply due to he fact that it is boring. Turn mundane homework into fun with matching, memorization, and speed games. Break out the good old fashioned flash cards and challenge your child to a speed round or play a game of charades with vocabulary words. Help your child memorize formulas and vocab words with pneumonic phrases, jingles, and rhymes. Before you know it, your child will be singing along to the Pythagorean theorem like it’s their favorite song.

Pro tip: We live in the age where technology can do just about anything. Try going online to search for games related to your child’s coursework to help them study without even realizing it. Kahoot! and Quizlet are classic sites that your child might already be familiar with that offer a wide variety of subjects and study games.

Work Hard, Play Hard
When all else fails, bribery is always an option. Motivate your child by offering them a reward for completing their assignments. Offer your child something they simply cannot resist to get them in the ‘work hard, play hard’ spirit. Use small motivators like an extra 30 minutes of TV time or a Friday night ice cream run, or use long term tactics like a trip to their favorite theme park at the end of the school year to reward good grades. The only catch: if they don’t complete their assignments, they don’t get the reward.

Remember, every child is different so it may take some time to find what works to help your child excel. Try out different tactics and switch up the regular routine to keep your kid excited and ready to learn.

By: Jenna Greaves