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Improving your child's homework and study habits

* Encourage your child to talk with you about school and what he or she is learning.
Listen and share what you know about the subject. This helps to generate enthusiasm and interest.

* Provide a proper home study setting with a place to work, good light, and adequate materials. Ideally a place free from distractions such as loud noises, cell phones or siblings wanting to play.

* Ask to see your child's homework assignments frequently. Check book bags. Take time to look over their homework with them. Keep an eye out for school work or papers that may need to be signed.

* Plan a regular time for studying each day. I would recommend an hour a day. Consider your family schedule and extra curricular activities of your child. As well as your child's best time for studying. Let these factors be your guide, when deciding on homework and study time.

* Help your child understand that studying is more than just reading or doing homework. Share techniques that have helped you learn new material.

* Help your child with organizational skills. Such as time planning and organizing notebooks and materials. Once again, share ideas that help you.

* Treat school as your child's job. Encourage regular attendance and punctuality. As habits that are being set now, will follow the child into adulthood.

* Be sensitive to your child's health needs. Proper sleeping, eating, and exercising help your child to be more alert when studying.

* Encourage your child to do their homework. Support and encouragement from parents is important but you should not do homework for them.

* Make sure your expectations are realistic in terms of your child's abilities. Be sensitive to frustrations regarding school work.

* Always try to be positive. If your child brings home poor work or tests. Approach it from the stand point of how you can help them to do better.

* Notify the school counselor or teacher when family situations arise that may worry your child and keep them from concentrating at school. Teachers need to be aware of the emotional concerns of students, since concerns may affect their day to day performance in class.

Learn more about this author, Charleine Fenn.
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