- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Homework Help
Support Your Child's Academic Obligations
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
What if your child's homework stumps you? It is bound to happen one day. Your child will ask you a question or show you a homework problem that you can't even understand, much less answer.
"The main reason for this is that the terms you used in school are not always the same ones your child is learning," says Cynthia Johnson, co-author of Homework Heroes, Grades 6-8: It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Done! (Kaplan, 2001). "For example, you wouldn't think a word like 'subtract' would ever go out of style, but in some areas this word has been replaced by synonyms like 'reduce' or 'lessen.' But when faced with the inevitable stumper, don't worry. Remember, you may have forgotten a few things, but you are still much more experienced than your child at finding the information that you need. You can turn the occasion into a learning experience for both you and your child as you track down the answer together."
"Family members – as children's first teachers – are crucial to student success," says Dillin. "And the more adults become engaged in their children's education, the greater the chances that children will succeed."
If your child's homework assignment consists of learning to play the scales on his French horn, don't worry that you have never picked up the instrument in your life. According to Johnson, it is not important that you know everything.
"In this case, and in others, you won't be able to impart the correct knowledge to him at a moment's notice," she says. "But regardless of the subject matter, when your child asks you for help on his or her homework, you can always be supportive, caring and kind when answering. If you don't know the answer and the two of you search and can't find the answer, don't get frustrated and upset. Keep in mind there's a larger issue at stake, which is the relationship between you and your child."