Is there really any child out there who actually enjoys doing their homework? Unless you’ve got one in your own house, you’ll probably find it hard to say yes!
But no matter what you or your kids think of it, homework will still be handed out and still need to be completed! So with pens in hand, back to the dining table we go!
However, some kids aren’t just putting off their homework because it’s a bit boring. Sometimes there’s a real challenge involved in trying to get the work done.
And when you sit down to help them with it, you can double check for these challenges by watching out for the signs below.
Taking a Very Long Time
When kids take a very long time to get a bit of homework done, the reasons behind the delay can vary.
For one they may keep getting distracted, and they have to keep putting themselves back on task. That usually takes a minute or two each time, and you may need to help them to stay centered.
For another, it could be that they’re finding the work a bit too difficult. If you work on the task with your child, and see for yourself that they’re not really getting their attention pulled away, this is more likely to be the case.
Troubles with Reading and Writing
Reading and writing are foundational skills that every child has a right to develop. Homework, especially at younger ages, tend to focus on building these skills. So when you sit down with your child, look and listen out for any troubles they have when reading and writing.
Picking up on these signs is important, but don’t worry, you’re unlikely to miss them. For example, if your child has trouble with parsing out word sounds, letter pairings, or specifics like Glued Sounds, it’ll become very apparent to you when you’re helping them do their homework.
After all, they’ll find it difficult to read out what they’re working on, as they may mispronounce and/or take a long time to say certain words out loud. Similarly, they may have a lot of trouble trying to spell words, or not notice that they’re writing letters the wrong way round.
A Struggle to Even Get Started
Sometimes kids can’t even get themselves motivated to begin a homework task. This could be a problem to do with the work itself, if it’s not exactly a fun or interesting thing, but it could also be a sign of a learning or neurodevelopmental difficulty.
You don’t need to immediately ask the school for testing, but it is important to keep note of where these task-starting issues tend to arise. If your child gets them quite frequently, as well as issues like changing tasks or ‘getting stuck’ on things, you may need to investigate further.
Helping your child with homework can reveal a lot about the way they learn. Look out for the challenges above to help them.