Battling Homework - Doing Homework Together Can Be Fun

After a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is sit down at the table, and beging the homework battle. Every night seems to be a constant struggle to sit down and get homework or studying done. It came to the point that I was ready to throw in the towel. Then I got some great advice.

If you seem to be struggling with your child about homework and learning, there is one thing to remember. Make it fun! This will make things easier for you and your child.

If you're learning to write letters or draw shapes, a cookie sheet and shaving cream come in handy. Try putting some shaving cream on the cookie sheet, and then have them draw the shapes or write their letters on the pan. This will make it a little more fun for them, since they can get messy at the same time. You can also try this with flour as well.

Another thing that can be fun, is to play "school" with them. Have them pick out a name for you (their teacher). It can be as crazy or silly as they want. You can also find lined paper to use, or find worksheets on the internet at various sites. Hand them out and go over them together, and when you are done, grade them to see how they did. If they did well, let them know by writing something nice on their paper.

Every night before going to bed, have your child pick out a story to read. This will give them an opportunity to spend quality time with you, and also get in some reading. Let them help you on some of the words, so they can feel important too. You can never get in too much reading!

If you do find that you're getting frustrated, just stop what you're doing, and take a five minute break. This will give you both time to cool off, as well as get other things done. When your five minutes are up, you can both come back to the homework with a fresh start.

Even though this can be a trying time, it can also be an enjoyable time for both parent and child. This is just a stepping stone for a wonderful future for your child.