Beating Homework Battles.

Homework: a contentious issue. Many parents feel that homework is an essential way of consolidating skills learnt in school - as well as allowing them to see what their child has been learning. But there

are also some parents (and teachers) who feel that homework is a bit of a waste of time, and offers little to help a child improve.

Like it or not, homework is a fact of life for most children and will remain so until they finish their education so developing a positive approach is important. However, there will inevitably come a time when

your child will be reluctant to do their homework and if you're not careful, it will become a battleground.

What can parents do to prevent this from happening?

1. BE ORGANISED

Know what your child has to complete and when it's due to be handed in. That way you won't be caught out at 9 pm on a Sunday with three pieces of homework due the next day. Be careful not to take over this organisation from your child, though. They must develop their skills of organisation and independence, especially as they approach secondary school age. Ask them what homework they have and when it's due in, then talk about when the best time would be to complete the work.

2. FIND A GOOD TIME

Some children like to complete homework as soon as it's set. Others leave everything to the last minute. Either way, make sure your child is not tired, hungry, thirsty or in need of some "downtime' when they sit down to do their work. Also, remind them that homework needs to be fitted in around their other commitments and pastimes, whether this is football practice, music lessons, TV time or social engagements.

3. FIND A GOOD PLACE

Also, make sure that they have all the resources they need to hand - pens, pencils, rubbers, rulers and so on.

Sit down with Them

If homework is becoming a challenge or your child seems to be losing focus, make some time in your schedule to sit down with them and talk through the work. Ask them to tell you what they think they need to do, and

attempt to redirect their focus back to the task at hand.

Encourage Breaks

if your child has been working for around 30 minutes, encourage a 5-minute break. They can put on some

music and dance around, do some stretching exercises, fetch a drink and a snack - anything which enables them to switch off. Studies show that a 5-minute break every 30 minutes is very effective in renewing concentration levels.

Make It Practical

Where possible, relate the homework tasks to the real world. If your child has maths homework on multiplication

and division, use beads or buttons to work out the answers. If they have a science project on flowers, go outside and look at some flowers- talk about what your child has been learning.