Countless experts have voiced their opinions on this matter. Education and parenting experts have voiced their thoughts, given recommendations and provided insight regarding how to best help your child with his or her homework. Here is a fact to consider: these “experts” do not know your child. They don’t know your home routines, lifestyles, personality quirks, likes or dislikes. They are anonymous people claiming to have the best knowledge about how to teach or parent your child, when the truth is, there is no cookie cutter format to helping your child. Each kid is different, each family is different and each classroom is different, so therefore, each kid requires individualized, unique attention and you must become your own “expert” on this matter.

Here are three real world tips to helping your child with his or her homework:

1) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:
The real estate mantra rings true with studying and homework: it’s all about location. Where your child works matters as much as the content itself! Remember, their ability to reign in their attention is limited because the frontal lobes of their brains are not yet fully developed. Therefore, keeping them away from as much distraction as possible may be in their best interest. Your best bet is to try a desk in the bedroom or the kitchen table as the prime location for studying. If those don’t work or your child isn’t getting the results he or she wants, try another location: maybe the library would work due to its relative quiet nature; perhaps the couch and an end table is the best place for your child to study. (Just stay away from working in bed: most sleep experts state that students will sleep better if they reserve their beds solely for a sound night’s rest). Sometimes, the local Starbucks can work for your older child (just limit the caffeine). The busy nature of such an establishment can actually help some kids better focus on the task at hand. Sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true! Depending on what your child’s internal wiring is, either a busy or quiet location may best improve focus. The point is, you may have to try different locations before finding the right fit for your child. Not every child works best at a desk in silence, and it is okay to try different locations and talking over how it works with your child to see what best suits his or her needs. They like having input (which can reduce arguments) so, if the work is getting done, does it really matter where it happens?

2) TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Some kids come home from school charged from their day of learning, ready to continue. Others come home completely drained and desperately needing some time to themselves. How your child is coming home from school determines the best time to complete homework. Think about yourself in the working world: after a long day (and remember: kids’ schedules are PACKED these days), are you prepared to sit and work for another hour? Do you have that energy in you at that time? Can you better focus on a task after taking thirty minutes to go for a walk or simply sit in quiet? Does a healthy snack fuel your ability to work better? All of these questions can be asked by you about your child, or if he or she is old enough, TO your child. A good way to see what works best for your kid is to try both ways: homework immediately after school or after about an hour from getting home. Try one way each week or so and discuss the results with your child. Did they get the results they wanted? Did they find they worked best at a certain time? Trying a few different study times is a great way to learn what works best for your child. When he or she knows what works best, the chances of confrontation over “when to do homework” is reduced and can make for less stressful homework time. As long as the work is done by bedtime, it may be worth asking yourself if it’s worth the argument over WHEN the work is completed.

3) BE CONSISTENT WITH A ROUTINE ONCE ESTABLISHED
Once your child has established when and where completing homework is best, stick to the routine as much as possible. Children respond well to structure, and once you as a team figure out the best method that works, stay with it as long as it works. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke….”. Having a set routine will also take the guesswork out of what the kid has to do for the day, which is something they actually do appreciate (on some level) at any age.

There is a general theme that has appeared over these three tips: listening to and working with your kid. This certainly does not mean you have to cater to them completely or coddle them in any way. Taking their ideas and thoughts into consideration (even if you don’t implement them) is important in fostering a sense of independence in the student. Having an open line of communication between parent and child can make for a positive working relationship when it comes to schooling, which does not have to be a source of contention. The more positivism regarding school in the home, the more likely the child will be to bring that positive energy to his or her work, thus increasing their odds of success. And don’t parents want their kids to succeed?

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