How to encourage a 5 year old to do homework?

S.,
This is what I did and do with my children. I say "Honey, learning is important." Mrs. ______ is your teacher and she knows that these things she asks you to do will help you learn. I also sit with my children at this young age and draw my own picture and sometimes help them with theirs. It shows you child that your willing to be there for her and it should be fun not a stressful situation. Yes, my children still moan about it to start, but as a parent it's your job to say, "this is our homework time, let get to it." We also have a homework hour and never just try to fit it in somewhere. This time will establish good study habits that will stay with your child for the rest of her education. My three children have proved me right. Good luck! Breathe deep and be the blessing. I tutor children and can tell you that your involvment and attitude will make all the difference in her world.

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I'm not sure this is the advice you're looking for :) but, counter-culturally, we let our kindergartner decide whether she wants to do her homework or not. We talk about how her teacher expects her to do it (she loves her teacher), that we would be happy to help, but that it's her decision. We figure (a) it's silly that kindergartners have homework at all (b) she has many years to hate homework; make it a fun choice now when it really doesn't matter (c) if she is struggling academically or the homework is something besides busy work, we can change the rules and (d) there are enough battles to fight with our five-year-old that this one is really not important to us!

Good luck with the battle!

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Try this, buy a special puzzle that is a little too hard for her to do by herself. Make a pact that you will put so many pieces (say 3-10) into the puzzle with her every time she finishes her homework. The she will not only look forward to completing the work so she can do the puzzle time, she has special time with you, and she is learning how to excersize her brain in a problem solving way...
Good luck!
S.

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Hi, I was really sad when I read your post. This is a teacher's/school's misguided attempt to instill a habit or discipline that children will need later in their studies. Five year olds need time to play, which is still how they do most of their learning. So if you feel you must go along with this homework, I suggest getting out the dolls and teddy bears and have a play school. That way her "homework" can be their "classwork". Good luck! Grams

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Hi S.,

I had an equally hard time with my daughter's homework when she was in kindergarten. The teacher gave out a lot of coloring projects, which looked like fun to me, but they took my daughter forever! She would be coloring for over an hour and still not done, poor kid. Homework turned into a huge battle every night. First grade wasn't much easier, but now in second grade she's finally gotten into it and does it by herself without a fight.

But until then here is my advice:
1) Make sure your daughter has a good, hour long, unstructured, play time break. A cute movie if she's really tired out from school or some out door play time if not.
2) Give her a good snack when she comes home from school, before homework.
3) Remind her that nothing needs to be perfect. (This was a big issue for my daughter.)
4) Help her. I always wanted my daughter to do everything by herself but some nights she just couldn't manage it. Obviously some things, like copying letters, your little girl will have to do by herself, but anything that seems kind of hard for her, especially if she's been at it for more than 20 or 30 minutes, just tell her the answer. I know this sounds like bad advice, but most homework is just busywork.
5) It's kindergarten! After one hour if the homework still isn't done write a note to the teacher explaining why it couldn't be done and send it in incomplete. Many teachers are pressured into giving out a lot of homework by parents who are really into it. They need pressure back from parents who want their children to play and have fun after a long day of school.
6) If homework continues to be too much for your little girl scedule a meeting with the teacher to work it out. Her teacher might have some ideas for you too.

Good luck!
H.

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I wish I had some advice for you but I don't- I'm just here to say that you are not alone. My son always loved school and homework until this year- like your daughter he loved his Pre-K assignments last year and is now in Kinder like your daughter. Most of the time he says he loves school, but like your daughter, he gets sent into a tizzy when I tell him that it's time to do homework. He moans, groans, etc until I get him situated and he focuses, at which point he is fine.

I am a teacher and at the private school I teach it we've discussed this topic- whether or not to assign homework. I am starting to hate keeping track of it- who did it, who didn't, hearing the excuses, seeing the tears fall, etc etc. Kids are busy at school all day and when they get home, they want to de-stress and relax just like we do. As a teacher, I am playing with the idea of only assigning long-term projects to do at home and the rest of the work I'd normally assign as homework could be done in class.

Thanks and good luck,
L.

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I agree with Mary. Kindergarten is WAY too young to have homework. I think we are unneccesarily stressing our children out at such a young age nowadays. I have a friend whose Kindergartner was already having spelling tests. She pulled her son out of kindergarten and started homeschooling with CAVA(California Virtual Academies. She's very happy now and so is her son. She says it's relatively easy once you get the hang of it and that she spends as much time with him on his lessons as she did battling him to do homework.

I plan to homeschool when my 3 yr. old is ready. Not sure if homeschooling is an option for you, but here's the link.

http://www.caliva.org/about/index.html

Good luck,
C.

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Hi S.,

I don't really have advise to offer, as my son is in second grade in a Waldorf School and he still doesn't have homework yet. But I do recommend if you are able to finacially handle it check out the Waldorf Education.

My son's school is in Northridge, I drive from Valley Village every day and I don't mind it because I know my son is happy and liks to go to school.

There is another Waldorf City School in the Lake Balboa Area and it is cheaper.

Just thought you might like to know..

Best wishes,
P.

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I don't make Rachel do homework. I really think it's a bit much in Kindergarten. I work full-time outside the home. By the time we are done with dinner, clean up, play with the dog, etc., we hardly have any time for homework or baths, haha. We do homework and baths on alternating night. If we finish the homework fine, if not fine. Luckily, her teacher is lenient this year. It did reflect on her homework grade, but I really don't care. She is reading and got the highest possible marks in Math. She is doing fine. We'll see what first grade brings.

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Maybe try not calling it homework. If you know it is something she likes to do like drawing a picture, simply say lets sit down and draw a picture together. At the end of the task applaud her for completing no matter what it looks like. Make sure not too put too much pressure and keep it in time increments that she can handle. ALso have a favorite snack handy so she can munch while she works.

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