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5 Ways to Encourage Students to do Their Homework When They Don’t Want to

Bored and Tired Student after hard work. Isolated on the White Background
Written by CB Community

Many parents find that keeping their kids motivated to do their homework regularly is a challenging task. After all, very few kids want to spend the rest of their day in front of a pile of books after spending 6 to 7 hours in class. What’s more, there are so many distractions in this day and age, from the internet to video games. This is not even counting daily tasks such as chores and meals.
Some parents try and go the extra mile and get outside help for their children. Some parents hire a private tutor while others will use an online homework helper to assist their kids in doing their homework. However, it’s not always enough to help motivate them.

If you’re a parent who is having trouble getting your kids to focus on their homework, here are some tips that you can use:

1. Give Them Some Breathing Space

When your children come home from school, they are most likely tired, hungry, and in need of some time to relax and recharge. It’s not going to be good for them if you immediately jump on their case and tell them to do their homework from the moment they step in.

Allowing your child to have a short break when they come home will give them that time to relax and recharge. What’s more, it’s important not to dictate how your child wants to spend this break. They can take a nap, get something to eat, or even browse the internet for a while before they have to buckle down and start working.

2. Provide a Structured Schedule

Giving your child a schedule when they get home can be beneficial. It not only gives them a sense of stability and security, but they also learn how to properly manage their time and allocate their hours.

Keep in mind that the schedule you first create might not be the best! It will take some time before you and your child adjust to the right schedule and you might need to tweak it along the day. It will also be important for your child to be able to have some say in making that schedule. Letting them feel that they are important and that their voice is heard will help give your child self-confidence.

3. Do as You Preach

When it comes to doing homework, the best thing for you to do is to lead by example. If you tell them to focus on their work and then go and do something that’s purely for leisure, it will send the wrong message.

Let your child know that you are working alongside them. Get a chore done around the house, or get some early work done for your office.

4. Provide Motivation

When it comes to doing homework, positive reinforcement will always work better compared to negative reinforcement. After all, doing homework is often already something negative in their mind, and if you compound that negativity by being overbearing, authoritarian, or overly strict about them doing homework, it might cause your child to become even more resistant to doing their homework.

Showing appreciation and encouragement is a great way to make your child motivated to do their homework, especially if you notice that your child is doing their homework on their own. This shows that you notice their hard work and effort and that you are acknowledging their efforts.

Motivation doesn’t always have to mean a physical or financial reward! Even something as simple as praise for homework done well and on time can motivate a student into doing their homework.

5. Let them Vent Out

Just like you, most students can experience stress, anxiety, and frustration at school. However, they don’t always know how to express it properly, and in some cases, they might even be afraid to vent out their negative emotions because they are afraid of how their parents will react.

It is important that you show them you are providing them with a safe and accepting space where they can air out their frustrations and negative emotions without fear of repercussions. Of course, you need to teach them how to properly communicate their negative emotions without them being destructive or harmful. Providing them with an avenue for open and honest communication will allow them to properly process their feelings, as well as become relaxed and less stressed.

For more great education tips, check out the other blogs on College Basics.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.