How Can I Help Your Kids

Helping kids with their homework is a difficult task for many parents. It is especially difficult for kids with disabilities. In this article, I will focus on a plan of action to help your kids complete their homework successfully, yet reduce tension and frustration.
Many of the parents I work with ask me: “How can I help him do homework and still love him?” “How do you manage helping all these kids with disabilities when I can’t handle one at home?”

I usually share some of the strategies I use in the classroom and help that parent create a plan of action to follow at home. Today is your lucky day because you are invited to review this plan and pick and choose what will work with your child.

Location: Location is very important in being productive while doing school homework and projects. Choose a consistent location for the child to do homework every day. Make sure your child has plenty of space, lighting, and proper size desk or table to work on.

Time: In today’s busy schedules, sports events, and church activities, it is important for you to set a routine homework / productive study time. Once you know the schedule, choose a time of the day that will not interfere with home work and study time. If the best time is 7:00 P.m. then go for that!

I highly suggest giving the child a” mental break” too when he/she first arrives. Allow at least 30 minutes of rest, relaxation, and fun time to be sure that he will focus later.

Study skills: Organizational skills are essential to school success. Before school starts, choose a system that will work better for your child. Color coded pocket folders for each subject usually works for the majority of kids. In some cases it may work better to have an expandable file with labels for each subject. Others may respond better to a three ring binder. Whatever the system is, make sure that one is enforced. Require and insist that the folders come home daily.

Buy a planner for the child to record assignments on daily basis. Most teachers now use e mail or home work hotline to assist parents and encourage their involvement. If your child says, “I have no home work”, I have some strategies for you:

- Have the child call home work hotline while you are on another extension and compare what is written on the planner to the actual assignments listed.

- If no homework is assigned, then use the daily study time to reinforce all the skills taught for that day. Example, if there is a math sheet in his binder showing how to multiply decimals, and then pick a few problems to complete under your guidance to ensure understanding of the concept taught. Follow the same strategies to plan and prepare for upcoming reading, spelling, science or social studies test.

- Whatever the case may be, this time will be spent doing academic reinforcement of any nature. Do not switch gears under any circumstances- stick to the plan!

- Once your child gets the message that you are serious and mean business, you will see homework on daily basis, I assure you.

Self Esteem: There is no doubt that the better one feels about self, the more motivated and willing to utilize their potential. Always start the session with a positive note about the child. Share some strengths and abilities of the child with others in front of them. Arrange for the child to be successful and brag about it. Set a motivational system to encourage the child to bring home good grades and reinforce accordingly.

Never point out the child’s disability or use it as an excuse to reduce expectations. Always encourage and empower your child to strengthen the weaknesses and compensate for the disability rather than using it as a “crutch”. Finally, expect the child to be in charge of his academic progress while you support in any way, shape, or form.

Communication skills: Parents are so emotional about their children and tend to feel sorry for them especially when they are disabled. As a teacher, I want to support them and provide all the assistance they need. Don’t hesitate to call your teacher, ask for help and suggestions. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you are frustrated as a parent or as a teacher- seek one another and support each other.

Attend PTO meetings at your school and ask if speakers can be invited to address any needs that you or the child’s teacher may have. Search the internet for support groups to join and tap on the knowledge, and expertise of others.

I hope that this article will help you whether you are a parent or an educator.
Remember, you are not alone. We are all in this together and there is power in unity!