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Your children are back in school, and before you know it, they will be bringing home homework.
According to Beverly Anderson, executive director for Ebenezer Child Care Centers with locations on Milwaukee’s southside, and in downtown Milwaukee, Oak Creek and West Allis/Wauwatosa, “Homework is an important part of school. It teaches children to be responsible, how to manage their time, and how to think independently. As parents you can do a number of things to help children develop these skills.”
Below are some tips:
Get Organized
Anderson says one of the best things you can do for your children is to help them get organized, so they can easily focus on their homework. This means helping them set up an area in the house that is conducive for working on homework. It should be a quiet space, free from distractions, which has plenty of natural light or a lamp and all the supplies they need be it paper, pencils, rulers, markers, a calculator, or a computer.
Anderson adds, “Because your children need to be productive in this space, take the time to work together with your children to make sure it is a pleasant space where they feel comfortable.”
Set a Routine
Next, Anderson recommends that you set a routine for when your children will complete their homework each day. This could be right after they get home from school and have a snack or after dinner. Regardless of the time, have them pick a time and stick with it. Anderson also recommends that you have your children turn off their devices and television until their homework is completed, so they are free from distractions.
“Use electronic or TV time as a reward for when homework is completed,” says Anderson. “This will help your children focus on what they need to do, knowing that they get down time when their homework is completed.”
Be Supportive
Finally, Anderson says it is important to be supportive when your children are working on their homework. This means that you are not creating distractions or excessive noise to prevent them from focusing. It also means that you are present for them if they need assistance, and that you can help them locate online resources or resources from their school if they are having difficulty completing their homework and you can’t be of assistance.
“Children need to know that they are loved and supported,” concludes Anderson. “This will help them to thrive and develop confidence in themselves to succeed in school and life.”
Every Ebenezer Child Care Center focuses on all aspects of a child’s development: cognitive, physical, emotional, and social. In addition to providing quality care, the agency also offers other educational programming all aimed at helping parents.
The agency has locations on Milwaukee’s southside, and in downtown Milwaukee, Oak Creek and West Allis/Wauwatosa. The agency’s main office is located at 1496 South 29th Street, Milwaukee. For more information, please call 414-643-5070.