10 tips for kids homework success

For best results, studying needs to become part of the daily fabric of your child's day. 

He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, and goes to school.

He comes home from elementary school in the afternoon, eats a snack, and then he hits the books in his special place. 

None of this routine is ever open for discussion or debate. Here are my top 10 tips for kids homework success stories. 

1.  Same Time for Kids Homework

Doing homework should be part of the daily regimen. Otherwise, it either becomes a daily battle, or else it's not done when bedtime rolls around.

If homework is part of the routine, you won't have to renegotiate it daily. Times can be adjusted for soccer practice, piano lessons, etc. But even then, have a routine: For example, Susie usually does homework every day from 3 to 4.

On Tuesdays, the routine becomes piano lessons after school from 3 to 4 and then homework from 4 to 5. 

2.  Same Place for Kids Homework

Designate one spot in the house for each kid's study hall. It should be in a quiet corner far from distractions.

Depending on the child, however, that special place might need to be somewhere you can keep an eye on things. Not every kid works intently when shut away in a bedroom full of videogames and toys.

3.  Outfitting a Kids' Homework Area

Ideally, each child should have a desk, but specific furniture is hardly necessary.

A friend's daughter likes to study at the kitchen counter while the mom cooks. Another child works at the dining room table. Wherever the child studies, she will need a large, flat surface, and good lighting. 

4.  Essential Homework Tools and Supplies

Keep a drawer or basket of school supplies nearby, so she doesn't have to jump up and down every time she needs to erase or staple something.

She will also need a file drawer or bucket to file papers or ongoing projects. Older kids will need access to a computer, too. 

5.  Just for Reference

Designate a nearby shelf for a dictionary, a thesaurus, grammar book, and other references.

6.  Keep It Down

During homework time, enforce a code of silence. No TV. No music. Impose an hour of quiet time on younger kids.

7.  Help is at Hand

Be available to answer questions when your child is studying. Check the homework when she finishes. Make sure she didn't just rush through.

8.  Divide and Conquer

Teach your child how to manage long-term projects by dividing them into smaller units. Get out the calendar and plan times that she will complete these units. Schedule them on the calendar.

9.  Time Management Skills

If your child has many activities during the week, use weekends to best advantage. If he has to do a chapter of spelling each week, for example, he might be able to work a little ahead on a rainy Sunday and get a bit of a cushion.

If the child is frenetically busy every day, you need to impose some time management skills on his schedule.

10.  Turn  Off  the TV

Establish a TV-free zone during the week. If the kid knows there are no TV or computer games to be enjoyed after homework, he may be more inclined to devote a little more time to homework. If the kids know you're serious about homework, they'll get serious, too.

Set aside a lot of free time on weekends for them to hang out with their friends and goof off. But keep weekdays tightly structured.