Stuart Kaplowitz -- Child & Family Therapy

 Parents:

In this “newsletter,” I would like to address a few of the questions that have come up:  How to best enhance homework time, and the importance of physical activity in our children’s (and all of our) lives.

If we asked 100 different  parents what “Homework” time looks like in their house, we may get 100 different examples. The neat thing about this is that each of you may have developed a system that works best for your family.  In my work with families over the years, I have learned some important things about homework time.  I want to highlight some of the keys here:

What (is it)?  Homework or “quiet/reading” time is everyone sitting down and completing their work for the day, continuing to learn and improve their reading and writing skills, spending quality family time, a wonderful habit to get into, etc.  Putting aside this ˝ hr or hour (or whatever is needed) each school night starts a wonderful habit we want our children to develop.  Should there not be homework one night or the homework is finished early, children can use this time to quietly read.

Who – all school-age children can benefit from this time.  Whether one sibling has homework that night or not, consistency is important.  If one or more parent and/or caretaker can be involved – even better!

Why – By setting aside such daily time, you are getting your children into a wonderful routine, which hopefully, they will continue through the years.  By being actively involved ourselves, we model the importance to our kids, spend valuable time together, as well as help with their learning.

When –  Different times can be successful for different families.  For example, with after-school sports and other activities, some families may choose a later time.  Many families, however, tend to make homework time right after school.  Perhaps the kids coming home, having a quick snack, and getting the work done works best for you.  Of course, not everyone may be home at the same time, and this will be something to address together.  Either way, try to keep the time each day fairly consistent.

Where – (a key that tends to be overlooked).  Where is homework time currently happening?  Is it loud with distractions?  If so, look for (or make) a quiet place for that given time period.  Some of us can work in the loudest of places -- most of us cannot.  Is there a desk or table to use?  Is there enough light w/ things like the television and radio out of earshot.  Have extra pencils, erasers, and scratch paper on hand, as well as even a mini library of your own with a few books or magazines ready.  Creating a few options may generate even more interest.  If you as parents can spare even a little bit of time to be a part of this activity, then we are practicing what we preach (so to speak), and our children will see and feel our support.