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Spending More Time on Homework:  If your child is spending more time on homework than previously or she’s avoiding doing homework it may be time to bring in extra support. Struggling kids will either keep trying and get more and more frustrated or they will avoid the issue by simply not doing the homework.

Feels Frustrated & “Hates” School: Parents need to listen to their kids for cues. Is your child expressing frustration about a specific subject or has he had a change in attitude about school in general? Every student grumbles about school once in a while, but if the child is complaining regularly or all of a sudden he is “hating” school, a teacher or a subject, that is a sure sign that something is wrong.

Drop in Test/Quiz Scores:  If your  solid B math student starts bringing home C’s on quizzes and tests, it’s a sign that he/she has missed something in class and may need help to get back on track 

SOLUTIONS:

Talk to your Child: This is always so tricky! You want to find a way to bring up the subject while giving them a lot of room to tell you what is going on.  A good conversation starter is, “You seem kind of frustrated with homework lately.  What can I do to help?

Contact the Teacher: Starting a dialogue with your child’s teacher can be a big help.  Let the teacher know your child is struggling and see what solutions the school may offer.  

Online Resources can Help:  From videos to live tutoring, the Internet is a great source for help.   Sites like Tutor.com offer live tutoring done with vetted experts on your family’s schedule.  This makes it easy to get help whenever they really need it.

Remember that getting help early, when you first realize your child is struggling, is the best idea.  The curriculum moves fast and if your child missed just one or two concepts, he/she can quickly fall behind and get frustrated even in subjects they are usually great at.

About the Author:

Mandy Ginsberg is the CEO of Tutor.com, the world’s largest and highest-rated online tutoring company with a community of more than 3,000 expert tutors, and over 10 million one-to-one online tutoring sessions served. Professional tutors are available 24/7 in 40 plus subjects, including AP courses and SAT test prep. Ninety percent of students who use Tutor.com get better grades, feel more confident and complete their homework on time. Tutor.com, an IAC company, powers tutoring and homework help programs for the Department of Defense; thousands of public libraries, school districts, colleges and universities; and the states of Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia.

The post Key Signs Your Child May Need a Tutor appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

School is back in service which means homework is back, too.  Getting kids to focus on their homework can be a real chore.  To help the process go a little smoother, create a homework haven for your kids. Set the scene to make it more comfortable and conducive to studying. Below are a few tips on creating a homework space that is perfect for studying.

1. Choose One Homework Space for the Kids: Designate one room or area of a room for homework and studying, rather than have the kids do homework at the kitchen table or on the couch in the living room. The kids associate the kitchen with food and the living room with socializing, games, and the TV, so this can cause confusion and distractions. Set aside a special room or area for a desk/table, homework supplies, and minimal distractions, because having a regular “homework room” will help the kids associate that area of the house with studying, which in turn will help strengthen their self-discipline and focus.

2. Stock with Essentials: Make sure the room is stocked with all necessary materials, such as lined paper, pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, tape, scissors, etc. If you set up a computer in the homework room, ensure that it has certain Internet blocks so the kids can’t surf YouTube videos when they should be studying! Also make sure a printer stocked with paper and ink is on-hand.

3. Choose Proper Chairs: You want the chairs to be comfy but not too comfortable, as that can cause drowsiness and the kids might end up falling asleep instead of studying. Choose simple and rigid chairs that don’t swivel or roll around, because the kids might end up playing around on them instead of staying stationary and studying. Also, make sure the kids can sit on the chairs comfortably with their feet touching the ground

4. Lighting: Ensure the studying space has adequate lighting, set at a level that is not too low and not too bright. If the lighting is too low, it can cause headaches, eyestrain, and drowsiness. Too bright of lighting can cause a discomforting glare off the book pages and studying materials. Shielded, full-spectrum fluorescent lights are known to help people stay calm, steady, and focused while studying.

5. Noise Level: Ask your kids if they work better in complete silence or with “white noise” or low music, and plan the space accordingly. If your kids prefer absolutely no noise, ensure that you and your partner stay as quiet as possible during the hours of after-school studying. If the kiddos work better with low music, set up an iPod dock to play “white noise” tunes like rain or low symphonic music.

6. Snacks: The best bet is to keep all snacks and food in the kitchen and cupboard, and tell the kids to enjoy a quick snack and “brain break” in the kitchen before heading to the homework space. If snacks are within reach in the homework area, your kids might be constantly distracted from wanting to grab another juice box and granola bar! However, you can keep bottles of water on-hand in the homework room, in case the kids get thirsty.

7. Decorate the Walls in A Non-Distracting Way: Brighten up the kids’ study room with learning murals, as it will spark the kiddos’ interest and imagination in their studying. Also, make sure to hang up your kids’ artwork around the room, as this will help the kids develop pride in their work and in producing projects worthy of gold stars!

Getting kids to do their homework will never be easy but with the right “haven,” hopefully it will go a little smoother! 

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post Create a Homework Haven for your Kids appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

(BPT) – Helping children with their homework requires more than an understanding of the subject matter, whether it’s algebra or world literature. To help children succeed throughout the school year, it’s important for parents to nurture positive study habits and organizational skills, and provide kids with a home environment that fosters concentration.

“Whether your kids are just learning to read, write and spell, or they are studying for the SATs, we parents have an opportunity to help instill work and study habits that will stick with our children for life,” says education and parenting expert Dr. Michele Borba, who is the bestselling author of 22 parenting books and a frequent TODAY show contributor.

Borba offers parents some easy tips to help children of all ages develop skills that will help them reach their academic goals:

* Give them space – Create a dedicated space for homework and study. This underscores the importance of homework to kids. If you don’t have room for a homework desk, consider keeping all homework and study tools in a bin or box that children can take out and use every day. Keep all essentials in one place to help avoid time wasted looking for the dictionary, ruler, calculator or other tool.

* Create a routine – Choose a time that works best for your child to do homework, then stick to that time every day. A set and predictable schedule helps minimize homework battles. “Work before play” can motivate kids to get their homework done, but if your child plays sports or has other after-school commitments, doing homework after dinner may be the best option.

* Give them smart tools and study aids – Just as your mechanic can’t fix your car without the right tools, it’s hard for kids to do homework without the proper tools. Choose tools like the new Post-it Study collection (www.Post-it.com), which is designed to help students stay organized and use time efficiently. For example, Post-it Study Message Flags are restickable flags that feature helpful reminders like “Study,” “To Do” and “On Test” that help kids highlight material that needs additional attention. Note Tabs, Page Markers, Flags and other products in this collection by Post-it Brand stick securely to papers, notebooks, textbooks and more – yet remove cleanly – to help kids organize information during homework and study time.

* Avoid distractions – Establish a technology-free zone for homework and studying. Turn off TVs, ban text messaging and ensure kids are using their PC for research, rather than Facebook. This measure may seem obvious to you, but remember – kids are so tied to tech these days that they may be surprised to find out they can more efficiently use their time without the distractions of technology.

* Map out assignments – Help children plot homework on a schedule so they have simple reminders of daily, weekly or long-term assignments. Include other engagements like sports or music lessons to help kids have a clearer picture of their own schedules. This can help build basic time management skills, like working on a long-term project every day over time, or avoiding a late-night cramming session for a big test.

* Lessons in planning and prioritizing – Teach kids to make lists of what they need to do each night in order of priority. As your child accomplishes each item, have him cross it off the list. For children who had difficulty staying on task, breaking large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks can help. Encourage kids to do the hardest homework first to help relieve the pressure of a long to-do list.

* Emphasize the effort – Stressing perseverance and effort in a task helps children work longer and harder, because they recognize their success is based on how hard they work. Instead of asking “What score did you get?” ask “How hard are you working?”

* Effective study habits – Spreading out study sessions and practice testing were the two most-effective learning tactics, according to a recent report by the Association for Psychological Science. Both techniques involve strong time management skills. Help children think of study sessions or pieces of a larger project as daily to-dos, and just as important as the homework assignment that may be due tomorrow.

The post Eight ways to help kids hone their homework habits appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

If you have kids in grade school then you know first hand how challenging it can be to get your children to do their homework without a fight. Well with six kids of my own (and one more on the way) I’ve learned a thing or two about homework.

Teaching your child the importance of education at a young age and encouraging good study habits will help them throughout college and beyond.

Routines are Key: Together with your child, develop a schedule and an after school routine that will work for both of you. Discuss the things your child feels are most important and allow time for those activities within the schedule or routine, too. Every kid is different and one set schedule doesn’t work for every child; so figure out what will work for you and allow for an hour (give or take depending on age) of homework time every evening. Once you solidify the routine, stick to it for a few weeks. If it seems to be working poorly, reevaluate it with your child to create something better.  If it’s working well, encourage your child to continue.

Create a Special Space: It’s important for your children to have a homework space that’s away from the television, cell phones and other distractions. Designate a homework area just for your child! Involve them in the design of the space by taking them shopping for a desk, lamp, organizational system or something special that they pick out to be a part of their homework space. If they enjoy the space, they’ll be more likely to spend time working on their homework.

Do Your Part: While your child is doing their homework you shouldn’t be in the other room watching television or playing a game; that will distract your child. At the same time you probably don’t want to be sitting right next to them the entire time (depending on their age). You want to make sure they’re working at it on their own, while knowing you’re just outside the door or in the next room should they need some extra support or encouragement. Utilize your child’s quiet homework time to do the dishes, fold laundry or read a book.

Reward: There are lots of reward systems you can recreate easily within your household. I personally like giving my children small rewards while they work towards something greater. If your child really wants to go to Disneyland, for example, you could decide to pay them a quarter for every hour of homework time. They can save their quarters to pay for something special at Disneyland. Prior to beginning this system lay down the ground rules; decide upon how many quarters they’ll need to earn before you’ll take them on their special trip. And just as important, outline any actions or bad homework practices will warrant your child to lose a quarter.

Whatever you do, encourage your child to study and do their homework everyday. It’s not always the most fun activity, but an education helps pave the way to a bright future.

Happy studying!

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 6, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gear for dads, and the Daddyscrubs.com blog where he covers topics about parenting and the latest baby and kids gear, all from a Dad’s perspective.

The post Helping Your Kids With Homework appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.