Parental Awareness of Children’s Homework

One of the most important family problems is to ensure that children accomplish their homework. Experts suggest that children should be given homework responsibility instead of forcing them to do homework. It is better to plan homework time together. According to the experts, it is necessary to explain children the actual aim of homework.

Uskudar University NPISTANBUL Brain Hospital clinical psychologist Ayse Sahin, MD, evaluated children’s ability to take responsibility concerning their homework. 

Homework is About Developing Skills

Homework is a bunch of assignments given by a teacher to develop and improve skills of a child on a particular subject, therefore, it is supposed to be fulfilled by children themselves or with an assistance of a custodian.  

Clinical psychologist Ayse Sahin highlights that both family members children should be aware of the fact that homework is a part of learning process and it has its benefits. It should be explained to the child that doing homework will increase academic success, develop a sense of responsibility, improve time management skill, also prioritization and planning skills, and, finally, taking responsibility for home assignments should be children’s prerogative.  

Joint Decision Making is a Key to Success

The clinical psychologist Ayse Sahin believes that decision concerning homework timing should be discussed and taken by a parent and a child all together. Parents are supposed to control homework timing in a consistent matter and give necessary assistance if needed. Physical needs of a child as food and sleep should be met first though. If a child is too young, the main thing can be done is to motivate a child to learn new things. Some families tend to criticize children’s attempts, behave in an impatient and blaming manner, which can affect overall motivation and cause family communication problems.  

Every Child Has a Different Learning Style and Pace

It should be noted that every child learns differently, some children prefer studying in silence, while others need to listen to music. There are also additional external factors, which can impact children’s performance and productivity: lighting of a study space, its temperature and humidity, study environment and even interior. Thus, parents are responsible for understanding their children’s learning style, and providing them with a proper and suitable study environment, which in its turn, enables to increase motivation.    

“Actions Have Consequences” Theory Awareness

Being an indivisible part of learning process, homework assignments should be regarded as a child’s prerogative and responsibility. That is why family members should be patient about possible mistakes and minimize criticizing their child’s scores.

Parents often do homework assignments for their children and blame them for mistakes they make. Mistakes are inherited in learning process being a crucial and normal part of homework assignments. That’s is the way a child understands consequences of his or her actions and learn to take responsibility. The child will be deprived of this experience if he or she never gets a bad mark or if a teacher approves the child’s not doing homework when it has been assigned. All in all, children should be given an opportunity to learn by experience.  

Motivate, Encourage and Support

NPISTANBUL Brain Hospital clinical psychologist Ayşe Şahin, M.D, warns that forcing to do homework and making a child to switch from one routine to another puts additional pressure on the child. These attempts will fail in long term period.  

If a child feels that he or she does not control the situation, that outcome does not depend on his/her efforts and deeds, then, obviously the child will not be interested in this process and will do homework only in case of external control and pressure. The most edective way is to encourage your child, motivate him/her and support when he/she faces challenges. Specialists recommend to focus on what your child have done correctly  instead of blaming him/her, this, for sure, will boost learning process.