Your Child's Homework is Important: Be Sure to Help Every Day

As a parent and teacher-in-training, I feel it is my duty to express to parents just how important homework is. Each year as I associated with different teachers, I was appalled to find out just how common it is for children in the elementary years to not turn in homework. It all started in kindergarten when I had a normal teacher conference with one of my childrens' teachers. The teacher actually told me how proud she was of my daughter for always turning her homework in. I obviously thanked her. Then, she made the comment that she was lucky to even get homework from a student. I was completely shocked by that statement. I then asked her if it counted toward their grade. Indeed it did, and why wouldn't it? Not only that, but homework is a part of the curriculum. It helps the children keep the lessons fresh in their minds.

Being the curious person that I am, each year I began to ask the teachers what percentage of children turned their work in. It varied for each grade level and each school, but I found Kindergarten to be the grade level in which homework was treated with the most disregard. As the grades progressed, homework importance rose a little, but never all the way.

I was, and still am, appalled by the blatant disregard of homework to the parents of the kindergarten students the most. This is the year when a child is being introduced to many new and important skills that they will need throughout school and life. If a parent does not care about their homework, neither will the child and that is not a good idea to have about school. School is the foundation for everything a child needs throughout life. If it is not given a high pedestal, the child may become discouraged. Children model after their parents. It is up to the parents to teach the children what is right.

Another appalling thing about homework is when parents just leave the child to do it without any assistance. If your child knows the facts, that is fine, but if your child needs help and you just say "You know how to do that. I'm not helping you", this can discourage a child. Sometimes, even if a child does know something, they still need your confirmation. Maybe they just want you to explain it, so they can double-check their work. The only thing regarding helping with homework that a parent should ever say no to is when a child just wants the parent to tell them the answers, not explain how to do it. Never give a child the answers. This sends the message that the lessons aren't that important because someone else can always give you the answer. That is not the kind of message you want a child to learn.

Instead, think of ways to explain the problem to your child. If you don't know how to solve the problem, use the internet or a homework hotline to figure it out. Even a parent who does not know the answers can help a child figure them out with the right resources. If you do know how to solve the problems, make up tricks or rhymes that will help your child remember the methods used. Make up games that will help your child learn the facts. Study with flashcards. Flashcards can be made for any subject. Just use index cards and write whatever you need to on the cards.

Homework is vital to your child's education. Be sure your child completes all homework assignments and turns them all in on time. Below, you will find links to websites that provide homework help, ways to enhance skills, and printable games for free. Enjoy!

Homework Help
http://www.infoplease.com/homework/ - Homework Help by infoplease
http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/ - BJ Pinchbeck's Homework Helper by Discovery School
http://www.homeworkspot.com/ - Homework Spot
http://www.jiskha.com/ - Jiskha Homework Help (post on message boards for help)
http://groups.msn.com/ParentChildFunShare/mathskillgames.msnw - Parent/ChildFunShare's links to printable math games
http://www.dr-mikes-math-games-for-kids.com/printable-math-games.html Dr. Mike's printable math games
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159526/making_activity_bins_for_studying_spelling.html - activity bins for studying spelling
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159531/making_activity_bins_for_studying_science.html - activity bins for studying science
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159534/making_activity_bins_for_studying_historyculture.html - activity bins for studying social studies
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159504/tips_on_making_activity_bins_for_studying.html - activity bins for studying math
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/159521/making_activity_bins_for_studying_writing.html - activity bins for studying writing
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/151615/how_to_make_some_easy_and_effective.html - learn to make some math games

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