How Do You Motivate Your Kids To Do Homework?

It is no big secret that most kids do not enjoy doing homework.  Some parents may get lucky as I did with my daughter.  Summer does her homework on her own and she makes good grades.  I'm afraid that I did not get quite so lucky with her 12 year old brother.

Although a parent never want to see their child fail, keep in mind that you do want them to learn about consequences and responsibilities.  Assisting them with their homework helps but if they are relying on you too much then you are still defeating the purpose.  After all, you can't go to school and take their test for them. Always remind them that it is their grade and their work and they are the ones who are responsible for the outcome.

Giving them a structured time and place and always being consistent is important.  Also, if they have a few choices in the matter this may help to.  My son would rather do his homework after dinner. OK, that's fine. He would rather study in his room instead of the living room. Again, no problem.  This practice allows him to feel that he has some control. My job is to make sure that I am consistent in upholding and enforcing the arrangement that we agreed upon.

Helping your child stay organized is very important.  By helping them organize their school work they are learning an important skill that will serve them well their whole life. Being organized is an important key to being successful. My son is now getting a little better at staying organized. After the first week of school his pack back looked like a trashcan! It's a little better now.

Lastly, always encourage them to try even if the work may be difficult. My son is one of those kids that does not want to attempt something if it looks too hard. By consistently encouraging him he is finding out that he is smarter than he thinks he is. As with most kids, once my son overcomes something difficult and succeeds at it he is very proud of himself.  He then feels a little more confident in accepting the next challenge.

Let's work to keep our kids motivated and always remember to encourage and praise them! Also, please share you homework rituals and ideas with me so we can all learn and benefit from each other! Thanks.