How much homework help should we give our kids? Should we sit on the sidelines and let our kids offer barely passable projects? Or should we break out the super-tools and show them how it's done? Things get especially thorny when another child's mom or dad steps up with top-notch materials and Nobel Prize-level backgrounds in fields like engineering. If all the other parents help and you don't, does it put your kid at a disadvantage?
I'll be discussing this topic next week on KING TV's Parent-to-Parent (8:15, channel 6, Monday, Oct. 4). In the meantime, here are some tips from my book, Beyond Smart on ways to help your grade-school age kids with their homework:
- Set up a homework routine.
- Find a quiet space for your child to work.
- Set aside a regular study time.
- Check your child's assignment sheet.
- Remind your child to bring his work back to school.
- Check with the teacher if you think you should be more (or less) involved in your child's home assignment.
- Find our how much time your child should be spending on homework.
- Let the teacher know if your child's spending too little or too much time on his work.
