Turn homework into a positive routine with these simple tips to help your child stay motivated without the stress or daily struggle.
With the right strategies, homework can become a great opportunity to build focus, responsibility and even connection with your child. While it can be challenging juggling dinner prep and after-school activities, you can slot it into your family’s schedule with a little planning and encouragement.
Here are some practical ways to make homework time smoother and more positive. These simple tips will help keep the momentum going—without sacrificing your sanity.
Introducing the 10-minute rule
When the kids arrive home, the first thing they need is a quiet space to unwind, catch their breath and perhaps have a snack. This could look like a 15-minute break with a drink and some fruit, a play with the dog or a little chat with a parent or sibling.
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Once the kids have had a bit of downtime, you can start tackling homework with the help of the 10-minute rule. The 10-minute rule is about scheduling 10 minutes of homework a day for every year level. So if your child is in Year 3 at primary school, they get a maximum of 30 minutes of homework. If you have a high school-aged student in Year 9, they get a maximum of 90 minutes. While it isn’t a hard and fast rule, it’s a great place to start.
While they’re tackling their homework, be sure to minimise distractions and noise, and keep screens out of sight.
You also don’t need to only do homework in the afternoon after school. You can do it in the morning when they’re not exhausted after a full day of school.
The trick is to find a routine: When the best time is, where they will study and for how long, and then stick to it consistently. Routine, while it’s challenging to start, takes away anxiety and unnecessary decision fatigue.
Remember there is also the option of asking for an extension, especially if your children are far too exhausted to handle homework.
An example routine
Here, Alina shares her routine for homework with her 11-year-old son: “We do homework in the morning mostly, as he has extracurricular activities almost every night of the week and there’s no real time left for homework. He is also quite tired after that, so we prioritise family time and other activities at night.
“In the morning, he wakes up bright and early (6.00 am). We do homework then as he performs best. We plan it around the other things he has on that morning (such as music practise). He also usually does his homework in the kitchen/family room, where he can be supervised and ask questions if needed.
“We try to keep the noise to a minimum so he can focus better. He has to sit at the table to replicate the school environment, so no homework sitting on the couch. If he still has homework left over, we finish it off on the weekends.”
How much should parents help with homework?
While it may look easy to you, your children may find homework challenging, especially if they are in the early years of school. At times, you will need to actively guide them instead of expecting them to know everything or “get it” in one session. As your child transitions into the higher grades, you may take a less active role and only assist with particularly challenging tasks.
There’s a fine balance between being involved and being overbearing or intimidating to your child. Remember, they are learning and will need help at times. They are still kids, so don’t be surprised if they are easily distracted. The best way to approach homework is with patience and if it helps you keep your cool, pretend you’re helping somebody else’s kid.
It’s good to be floating around in the room, but not constantly peering over their shoulder. This will help them with confidence, independence and make them feel proud of themselves for working through challenges alone. But be available when they genuinely need help.
“He starts his homework on his own and I only step in if he gets stuck,” says Alina. “He always has to give it a go first on his own and only if he can’t figure it out will I help him. I don’t provide the answer for him, I just help him understand and navigate the solving process.”
Navigating homework challenges
Here are some of the biggest challenges mums face with homework and some ways to navigate them.
1. Procrastination
While there is the temptation to put homework off till a later time or “better” day, it just builds up unnecessary pressure. Set a timer and to do 10 minutes each day. This will be far better than allowing it to pile up and completed at the last minute.
2. Rushing through homework
If your child feels rushed or just wants to get out and play, making the quality of their work poor, it’s important to communicate what the standard is. Let them know that if they do the work to a low standard, they will have to repeat it, which will take away from their play time.
It’s important to help kids understand that doing something great the first time will actually save time later. They will rush if you tell them they can play as soon as they are finished. So set the routine and the timer to help diminish the eagerness to get away.
3. Disorganisation
If you keep your home disorganised and a little chaotic, your child might adopt the same approach to their homework. It’s not necessarily them trying to be “bad”; perhaps it’s the only way that feels normal to them. Show your child how to stay organised, set goals, manage their time effectively, and focus on the task at hand.
If you struggle being organised, you could work as a team, sharing the highs and lows of learning to be organised. Don’t just expect your child to be organised. Try to be so as a family too.
Depending on your school community, there may be homework clubs already available where students go after school and work on homework. While this may not be suitable for younger students, it could be a great option for secondary school-aged kids.
4. Lack of retention
Kids will often rush through work. Add the fact they have no-one around to share a summary of what they’ve learned and a lot is forgotten. To help with retention, have your child present a brief summary of what they studied, what was new and how the new information will affect their work in the future. This brief conversation will help a lot with recall and embed important information faster.
5. Excessive homework
Some high-performing schools can give an excessive amount of homework This can be a good thing in certain seasons. However, if it is the regular practice of the school and not something you align with, discuss with your child’s teacher to look at alternatives. You can also ask the teacher about having your child complete the work at school rather than sending them home with the extra work.
6. Irrelevant homework
Sometimes, teachers send homework that isn’t actually suitable for your kids’ grade or the key skills they are meant to be learning. In this case, again, it’s best to discuss with the teacher or review the school’s homework policy. If the homework is essentially not adding to their knowledge or is beneath their skill level, you could look at other options.
7. Lack of confidence
Sometimes kids can be so unsure of themselves and feel as though they can’t do anything right unless mum is constantly beside them to offer affirmations moment by moment. It’s definitely important to be present and reassure your child, but it’s just as important to let them know you believe in them, are cheering them on (from the kitchen) and you’ll check back in 10 minutes. It will be hard for them, but with the right support, they will eventually build confidence in themselves. Sometimes kids can be extra clingy and unsure if there has recently been a stressful or emotional event, leading them to want safety and protection from your presence. It might just be a phase.
Overall success
Children can sometimes get mixed messages and be made to feel less important if they are struggling with a particular subject. Student engagement is important as are academics and your child’s learning. However, if your child is crippled by stress and mentally struggling due to the expectations on them, it’s crucial you reassess.
By promoting good study habits, encouraging and supporting younger children, and being available for your older kids’ academic challenges, you can help your kids move through their education with a lot less anxiety. They already have so much to face in the school yard and in the digital world, and if home and parents can be a safe place, it can make the world of difference.
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