Teens and Homework Help

Homework Help and Teens

When our children start school we are invigorated to see their excitement when it comes to homework. They settle at the kitchen table with newly sharpened pencils and nudge us for homework help and praise. We help them spell their names, tell time and count without using their fingers however without fail, somewhere along the way things get hectic.

One year turns into 4 and then 9 years they start to get more secretive about their studies and assignments come up “missing”, then before you know it things are not looking like they used to. What can we do to offer our teens more homework help and less arguing over grades and assignments?

• Remember what it was like to be that age and how motivation was different for us then than it is now. Now, as parents we are looking at them like, “Don’t make the same mistakes I did.” they are looking at it like, “I have time.”

• Use the school website, email the teachers if you have concerns. Email is the best way to contact them; they are busy but always willing to speak with an involved parent.

• Most schools have a program now that is online and can access your student’s information. (We use Powerschool) You can look at grades, homework assignments, attendance and they describe in full what is upcoming and projects that might be due. Take advantage of these resources!

• Give them time to unwind when they get home, but make sure they have set schedules on computer time, video games, television and phones (this includes cell phones). If you pay for it, you have control over it.

We have to teach our kids how to be productive members of society, and many times we are the only sanity in a chaotic life of a teenager.

Help them succeed by teaching them how to study. Teach them how to be responsible for their actions.

One day they will leave the “nest” and head off to college, there is no checking up on them or calling the professor, it’s something they will need to do on their own. If they are used to studying between 7-8pm, then in college it will be a habit for them to study during that hour every day.