By Victoria Armijo

When it comes to doing homework, chances are that you don’t get a big smile and a HOORAY from your children.  Most kids prefer to go home to watch television, play video games, play sports, or anything else that does not include homework - no matter what age they are.  When you think of homework you don’t think of fun, and neither do your kids.  Your goal is to make homework different and an exciting learning experience for them.  This means that YOU need to be involved.  

Here are ten tips to help start making homework time fun and exciting.

1. Parent Involvement - Parents should be actively involved and have regular conversations with their children about homework.  This does not mean you should complete the homework assignment for your child.  There is a reason why your child is assigned the homework by their teacher.  Your child needs to know that you support them and that you will be there for them when they have questions.  How about when you don’t know the answer to a question?  Be honest with your child and let them know.  You can always look through your child’s textbook or do a quick search online for an example on how to complete a problem or find the definition of a word.  Remember - you are there for support and encouragement!
    
2. Find a Routine - Not all children are the same, so find a routine that works best for you and your child.  Who says that homework needs to be done after school or after dinner?  Most of us are more alert and refreshed in the morning, so if this is what works best for you and your child, then try it.  As long as it works and homework gets completed in a fun and positive way. For more about routines, especially concerning back-to-school, be sure to check out our Back-to-School section.
    
3. Find a Quiet Spot - Finding a quiet and comfortable spot is essential and very important.  Children work best when there are no distractions.  If other siblings have completed their homework, send them outside to play or to read a book.  Also, televisions and radios should be turned off to help your child concentrate on their work. 
    
4. Rewards/Incentives - For children, everything is more fun when there is a prize to win.  Rewarding your child with something as simple as getting an ice cream cone or going to the park at the end of the week provides just a little positive incentive for them to finish their homework.  This is not something that needs to be done all the time, but a few times a month and you will see that your child will be more motivated in completing their homework with no fuss!
    
5. Play Games - There are many different ways in which games can be used for doing homework.  If your child is in Preschool or Elementary school, creating flashcards is a great way to teach your child sight-words, vocabulary words, letter recognition, number recognition, colors, and much more.  These can be easily laminated at an office supply store and you can re-use them over and over again.  Depending on your child’s age, you can also use the internet as a source of learning.  Technology is very appealing, especially to older children and there are many different sites in which can help your child complete homework lessons.  Ask your child’s teacher for any resources they might know.
    
6. Set an Alarm - Setting an alarm will help your child know that they need to focus for a certain amount of time.  This will avoid the question, “Are we finished yet?”  Here are some guidelines to help you according to grade level.  Remember this is just a guideline, if you finish early, GREAT!
   

   Grade Level	Minutes of Homework per Day
   Kindergarten	5-10 minutes
   First-Second	10-20 minutes
   Third-Fourth	10-40 minutes
   Fifth-Sixth	10-60 minutes
   Seventh-Eighth	10-80 minutes

7. Connect to the Real World - It is proven that connecting homework and educational lessons to the real world helps children understand it better.  That is why teachers do it all the time.  Take your child to the local museum, zoo, park, or even just to the backyard.  Getting them to see how lessons can be used in the real world will help them understand the concept in a more realistic way.  Is your child learning the alphabet?  Well, take out a cereal box and have them write all the ingredients in alphabetical order.  Give your child a local restaurant menu and have them plan a menu for your family with a budget of $30 and see what they come up with.   Just make sure that what you’re doing ties in with the lesson or homework!
    
8. Watch a Movie or an Educational Video - This works great for older students.  Have your child watch a video that ties in with a Science, English, or History lesson.  If your child is studying the history of Cypress-Fairbanks, then find a documentary that is age appropriate for them to watch.  This will be more entertaining and is likely to make an impression on your child.  After watching the video, you can even have them write a short paragraph on what they learned.
    
9. Be Prepared - Being prepared for homework assignments is always important.  Your child needs to go to school prepared with all of their school materials; well, as a parent it is our responsibility to prepare our home for homework.  Make sure to have materials such as pencils, crayons, writing paper, construction paper, scissors, glue, tape, colored pencils, poster boards, and a ruler always available.  You never know when there is a homework assignment that needs to be completed at the last minute.
    
10. Give Them a Break - At the end of the day your child needs a break!  Letting them play and participate in sports is also very important for your child’s developmental skills.

As you can see homework does not need to be hard.  Homework is not something that our children want to come home to do, but as parents it is our responsibility to make sure that they get a good education.  Therefore, it is not only up to us to make sure that our children are completing their homework, but that they are doing it while having fun!

As always, a parent's example of enthusiasm for continually learning will be a powerful influence. Whether you are looking to developing your talents with online cooking classes or increasing your income and opportunities with graduate schools online, the web can be a great resource for ongoing education.