Parenting Pointers: Homework Tips

Retired elementary school teacher Dan McLaughlin, author of Parent's Homework Dictionary, says PARENTS are the most important teacher in a child’s life, and wants to share some homework tips.

• Make school and homework a priority. Just like Mommy and Daddy have a job to do, children have a job to do too. Have your child explain the work that they did that day and need to do for homework. Many 'experts' have an opinion about homework, but you need to look at it as practice. How good would a football team play on Sunday if they did NOT practice during the week? Homework is the child's practice.
• Make homework quality time with your child. se this time to talk about their day and share things with them as well. This can also include outside activities. Take your child to buy groceries for a math lesson, or maybe a lesson during tax time for the older kids. Learning takes place everywhere, so be the teacher.
• School budget cuts are here and will get worse before they get better. This means that programs will be cut or go away entirely. Now, more than ever, the parent has to be the most important teacher at home and in life. DO NOT leave the education of your child to a school or a teacher. They are your support but you are the reason your child succeeds!