One of the last things that kids would want to do after a stressful day in school is to get on with their homework; often, it is somewhat challenging to get them to do their school assignment because they are usually tired.
They’re often occupied by games and other types of entertainment at home. This is a real concern for most parents, as conflicts usually begin between them and their children, mainly whenever their children refuse to do their assignments.
- Homework encourages children to be confident, to assume accountability, and to be responsible for completing an assignment and enables children to develop a sense of self-discipline. Doing class work at home makes children work on their own without asking their peers and teachers for support.
- Homework shows children how to be creative. If they have to do it on their own, they have to know how to use the available sources of knowledge at home, such as books and the internet. It increases their trust in the management of personal issues and the handling of problems on their own in the future. It further develops their academic abilities and introduces them to a broader spectrum of education through the use of supplementary resources.
- Homework offers parents the ability to track their children’s academic development. Through the years, research findings have continuously shown that parental participation in children’s learning is indeed a significant factor in determining the child’s performance in education. Homework encourages parents to take an active role in their child’s education and lets them assess and track their child’s development. Besides, the homework cycle also offers extra room for parents to connect with their child.
- Homework helps children to explore the abilities, principles, and knowledge they have learned in college. They study what they have learned and add it to their assignments. A continuous cycle of retrieval and implementation would provide a more durable reinforcement of knowledge. It would make it easier to maintain more understanding in their minds and make learning more effective.
Nevertheless, just as doing homework adds to the educational process of children, it should also be understood that too much homework can lead to stress and fatigue. Too much pressure from school can lead to adverse effects on the child’s health and mental wellbeing.
The wellbeing of a child should not be sacrificed just for the sake of homework. As the adage goes, “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” Giving them a 15-minute break for each assignment makes a big difference in the focus of the child and the level of commitment to the assignments.
It should also be understood that when the homework is beyond their understanding, it will cause the child to lose interest in the subject. They’ll feel like no one is helping them, so no matter how hard they try, they’re only going to get the answers wrong.
Therefore, it’s best that if your child discovers anything new at school, take the time to sit down with them and go over the homework first until they can finish the homework without any outside help. Don’t forget to check in on their progress every once and in a while and provide them with the necessary support.