Even if your child begins bringing his homework assignments home, he still has to do them completely and accurately. You can help by creating a good study environment. Your child should have a comfortable place to work on his assignments, and this area should be free from distractions, such as the television, stereo, and computer (unless he is using the computer for his school work). His work area should be well-lighted, and preferably close to you. Even if he doesn’t need your help, you can still check on him occasionally to make sure he is working adequately.
Cultivate Good Study Skills
Children aren’t born knowing how to study. They have to be taught, and these lessons should begin in elementary school. If your child needs help with her homework, you should help her, not do it for her. If you begin to cultivate good study skills in your child while she is still a relatively young student, these skills should follow throughout her high school and college years. If she is struggling with a particular assignment, encourage her to try to work it out herself, then if she still cannot do it, work the problem with her. Have her continue to do similar problems until she is able to work them on her own. If she is studying for a test, it is perfectly alright to go over the questions with her. However, if she doesn’t know the answers, don’t spoon-feed them to her. Instead, tell her to go back and study some more.
Advocate for Your Child
You are your child’s strongest ally. While this doesn’t mean that you should make excuses for your child, you should be ready to defend your child’s rights. Every child has the right to be educated in a safe environment that is conducive to learning. If there is any reason that you feel your child is not receiving this type of environment, you should make your voice heard. If your child is having difficulty with another student, or if you feel that your child has not had an adequate opportunity to learn at school, you should immediately set up an appointment with the teacher and the principal. If you feel that your child has a learning disability, you have the right to request testing to determine if your child should be in a special education program.