How To Help Children Cope With Homework Stress – You Are Parent
In many households, homework can lead to really tense situations. After an exhausting day, parents and children feel tired. The time to do homework then arrives, sometimes leading to anger and arguments. Knowing how to set up a schedule or routine for schoolwork is complicated. Don’t give up and keep reading to learn how to deal with the stress of homework.
Create the right environment
A table with enough space for children to spread out their school supplies and a bright room are the basic requirements for establishing the most suitable environment for doing homework at home. They don’t need to be alone in a room. In fact, young children work best in a family environment such as the kitchen.
Finally, it’s just as important to know how to reduce potential distractions. Find a quiet place and avoid bright distractions like television or cell phones.
Find the best time
Finding the right time is often the hardest part. Some children perform better if they take a break or some free time before going to their homework. On the other hand, some children prefer to get on with it after lunch or after school, and try to enjoy the rest of the afternoon as much as possible.
Regardless of when kids start their homework, the important thing is that they establish a daily routine that psychologist Annie de Acevedo says should be based on the amount of homework they have.
Organization is key to managing stress associated with homework
Children can feel overwhelmed most of the time because they don’t know how to handle the burden of schoolwork. Here, the help of adults is essential. Knowing how to distribute tasks and plan them in the most appropriate order or how to use the materials correctly are some basic ideas that children should learn at the start of the school year.
The use of agendas, planners or even apps designed for this purpose are some of the essential planning tools, especially for older children.
Facing challenges rather than avoiding them
It is frustrating to face an activity that you do not know how to do, especially for the little ones, who have not yet succeeded in developing their resolution skills. As adults, we need to help children develop positive thinking in the face of challenges.
A good way for children to gradually begin to face challenges is to rank homework according to their difficulty. On the one hand, they can start with the easier tasks to gain confidence when they get to the more difficult ones.
Encouraging children helps them deal with the stress of homework
You can help children cope with the stress of homework by supporting them, both when doing their homework and helping them with organization, creating an environment that is conducive to study, etc.
It also means that they should be allowed to perform the task themselves. They should be allowed to “fail”, which can actually be very beneficial for their learning.
What role do parents play in homework?
For Annie de Acevedo, the help and supervision of parents is crucial. Children are arguably more interested in learning if their parents are involved and support them with their homework. Thanks to this motivation, children will do better in school and learn to develop good study habits that will encourage their sense of responsibility.
