By Sandra Gordon

Homework and headaches go together like macaroni and cheese, especially now that there seems more to do early on. Tutoring is certainly one answer. “A tutor can be helpful if your child needs personalized remedial help because she’s below grade level and the lessons are out of your league,” 

says Lisa Jacobson, chief executive of Inspirica, a national tutoring and test-prep firm. 

You might also consider hiring a tutor if you don’t have the time or energy to help with homework, it’s a hot button for you and your child or if your child wants to prepare for college-entrance tests. 

Otherwise, it’s worth putting on your thinking cap and trying to tackle your child’s homework issues yourself. Try these strategies … 

To minimize resentment, understand why your child has homework. Homework helps promote children’s physical, social and emotional health and well-being. Research shows that homework is especially beneficial as a review before a unit test. It also helps kids practice concepts they learn in school, develop self-sufficiency and instill the idea that learning is a process that doesn’t end with the dismissal bell. 

Kids crave consistency, so make doing homework automatic by creating a routine that fits their personality. Serious students may prefer to do homework right after school. Other kids might need to burn off steam by running around or vegging in front of the TV for 45 minutes before getting down to business. Whatever formula you choose, stick to it. 

Choose a homework hub. Some kids work best in their bedrooms. Others like to do their homework in the kitchen while you’re making dinner. Anywhere is fine as long as there are no distractions. 

If you have more than one child, see if your kids will do their homework simultaneously. They might motivate and even help each other. 

Praise your kids when they complete their homework by saying things like, “You worked so hard! Good job!” rather than “You’re so smart!” Effort-based praise teaches your child that if she tries hard, she will learn things. 

Studies show that when parents stay positive while assisting with their child’s homework, kids are more self-motivated and self-directed. That’s the goal: to have your child do her homework because she feels it’s important, not because you’re looking over her shoulder. Your job is to see that homework gets done neatly and provide some support, not to edit your child’s homework or help him do it. 

To help kids of all ages study for tests and quizzes, review by asking them to teach you about the subject they’re studying. If your child can explain it to you, he really knows it.

Recognize your child’s motivation sweet spot. Some people work best 24 to 48 hours before a deadline. Others hunker down a week before something is due. If your child is a last-minute kind of person but you’re not, so be it. Forcing your child to work on an assignment before he’s ready can derail motivation. 

Get busy yourself. If your kids have to do 20 minutes of reading daily, grab your ebook yourself and sit down next to them. It’s a nice way to model reading. 

Keep your child’s teacher posted. Many teachers, especially in the elementary grades, have a policy about how long the homework they assign should take, such as 15 minutes per night. If your child’s homework drags out much longer than it should, let the teacher know. 

Stay a step ahead. Resources, such as the Core Knowledge series can help you track the skills your child needs through elementary school. Knowing what’s down the road can help you build activities into a young child’s day that use the concepts he’ll be learning about. Counting change at the self-checkout, for example, can help teach addition; so can having your child add up the numbers on mailboxes when you’re out for a walk and penciling out the tip on your dinner tab. 

Playing word games can help teach spelling. If you’re worried about penmanship, have your child practice writing your grocery list or a letter to Grandma. And so on. The idea? By the time the subject is covered in school, your child will already be familiar with it.

Sandra Gordon is an award-winning freelance writer who delivers expert advice and the latest developments in health, nutrition, parenting, and consumer issues. For more about Sandra, visit sandrajgordon.com.