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As a parent myself, I have always worried about my children’s physical, intellectual and emotional growth. The main concern that usually takes away the peace of your mind is, ‘Am I giving too much or too little attention to my kids?’ The worries take a different shape when your kids start going to school. Should you or should you not assist them in their daily homework is the question that comes next. This article will discuss why it is vital to help your kids with their homework and do it without putting yourself and your kids under stress.
Why do Parents need to Help with Homework?
The question of why parents should help kids with homework is a pertinent one. As a parent, you want your child to be an independent learner, yet you feel that if you do not support your kids in their daily home tasks, they may lag in their race to success. Experts and psychologists believe that children nowadays are overburdened by excessive homework. A parent’s help can be of great value to them.
Older children may find online help to assist in subject-specific homework; for example, they may type ‘how to do my finance homework for me?’ They will find ample help opportunities. Therefore, this section will discuss why parental involvement in daily tasks is essential for kids under 13.
Develops a Positive Parent-Child Relationship
One of the primary reasons parents should help with homework is that it serves as a bridge between parents and children. The time spent together doing the homework adds to the quality of time you spend with them, leading to the generation gap’s bridging. This develops a positive parent-child relationship that creates confident young adults ready to take on the world.
Develops Critical Thinking Skills Among Children
Critical thinking is an important skill set that is developed as parents help their children with their homework. Parents’ involvement in their child’s homework ensures that they develop a positive learning attitude transferred in their classrooms. The more time parents spend with their children as they complete their homework, the better understanding they will have towards their child’s hidden talents, strengths, and weaknesses. They will be better positioned to give them worthy assistance.
Gives the Motivation to Study Harder
A positive learning process can only take place with the right kind of motivation. An appropriate motivation strategy always serves as great encouragement for kids of all ages. Parents have the innate ability to decide on the appropriate bribes to give to their children to give them the impetus to perform. According to experts, it is better to offer immaterial motivation such as a trip to the park, or a family picnic, than material gifts as it keeps the interest of your children strong. Consequently, they double their efforts in doing their homework.
Helps the Kids to Become Organized
Learning these days has become highly challenging for students. Children, with their limited expertise and immaturity, tend to be disorganized in planning out their assignments. This is the point where they need the most help with homework. Parents, with their involvement, can help their children in organizing their daily tasks and assignments. By planning out the work to be done, students tend to give a better output and learn an organization’s important life skills.
Assists Your Child in Better Understanding
Even if a child is good in their studies, there is no guarantee he will not face any problems in understanding the materials given to him as he sits down to complete his homework. Many times children need helping with homework just because the task given to them seems pretty daunting. Parents’ involvement then becomes significant, as they can help their child understand the material through their knowledge of the subject matter and their child’s learning abilities.
How Parents Can Help Kids with Homework without Stressing Them
While there are reasons for parents’ help with homework, there are many counter-arguments that suggest that being involved may make your child dependent upon you all the time and sometimes add to their stress levels because they would detest ever to disappoint their parents. The key to perfect parental involvement is to find the balance between overdoing and doing it just right.
Here are ways to make sure how parents should help with homework without adding to your children’s stresses.
Be Close to Your Child When They Start Working
Homework time is not the time of the day children wait for during the day. This is because the idea of homework is generally daunting to many students. However, this stress can easily be reduced by making it an inclusive activity. Ensure that the place of study primarily for children under 13 is not some quiet corner spot, but a more central place, where you are close to them, and keep an eye on the progress of your child’s homework. This reduces the homework stress multifold, and your closeness will make your child feel comfortable.
Set Up a Plan
Parents’ job is not to do the assignments for their child, instead provide him with the right impetus to do it himself. Your presence will be a source of motivation as your child will be prompted to organize and finish the task on hand instead of procrastinating and keeping it to the last minute. Your job as a homework helper is to assist your child and plan to do the homework. Let your child make a to-do and done list and make him responsible for following it while you continue to keep an eye on his progress.
Give Enough Encouragement
Important skill parents helping with homework need to develop is the right amount of encouragement and praises to be given to the children. As a concerned parent, your job is not to do the homework for your child. Instead, let him make an effort as you encourage his efforts along.
Let Your Child Take Control of Their Homework
Sit with your child as he starts doing his homework, go over the tasks needed to be done, discuss the homework first, then ask him to order the assignments in order of priority. Bring the child into his comfort zone and let him be in charge of his homework. Once your child has set the priority list, you can ask him to set a time for each task and motivate him to do the task within that time. This will not only make homework enjoyable but also your child will be saved from procrastinating.
Present a Model Learning Behaviour
Presenting a model learning behavior is an effective means to help your child without letting him stress out. For example, if you see your child getting stuck in a math problem, the best way is to show how to do one sum, monitor your child doing the next on his own, and he will be well-equipped to do the rest on his own victoriously.
When should parents stop helping with homework?
After knowing why parents should help with their children’s homework, it is also essential to understand when should parents help with homework and when to stop? Parents’ primary job is to be their child’s homework manager, which means they should only motivate and encourage the child in their efforts and assist them in staying focused on the task at hand. However, there is a fine line where you may overdo this help. Ensure that your help makes your child an autonomous learner, and your child should not wholly depend on you to complete the given tasks.
If at any point you feel you are over helping with your child’s homework, do not stop right away. Instead, take a retreat gradually so that the child does not feel at a total loss.
How many parents help with homework?
Studies show that more than 40% of Hispanic parents try to help their children with their homework three or more days of the week. Parents find themselves incapable of helping include their busy lifestyle, which leaves less time for the children. Many parents are themselves daunted by the level of assignments that teachers assign to their students. These are some of the factors that limit parents from assisting their children.
Conclusion
There is no doubt about the necessity of parental involvement in homework; however, it needs to be considered to find the perfect balance to do it right.
