How to fix homework conflicts
Tips to avoid head-butting over homework
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Kate Quetton’s two daughters bring home stellar report cards — but also drama when it comes to homework. After much protesting, Meg, nine, researched a Saskatchewan town for a grade three travel brochure. Although the template featured dozens of blank lines, Meg wrote a bare minimum of facts, enlarging her printing to fill the space. When Quetton pressed for more detail, Meg flung her book across the room, shouting, “Why would I care about Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, anyway!”
“Her attitude is totally a homework issue,” says the Toronto mom. “When I saw the finished brochure she did in class, it was full of additional information in regular-sized writing.”
In many households, homework is a daily battle dreaded by kids and parents. So call a truce: Model patience and use these expert tips to support your child. After about a month, most kids will be working more independently, with their parents cheering them on. “Self-directed learning builds competence and confidence,” says Deborah Butler, a professor in the faculty of education at the University of British Columbia, who researches students who are struggling with academic work.
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