Now that your child is spending more time at school than he was as a preschooler, he has to deal with increased academic demands, especially in terms of homework. In the beginning, your child will need a lot of motivation and reinforcement as he may not be inspired to do homework after undergoing an intense academic program during the day at school. As a result, homework can be a struggle.
What you can do
Setting a routine is important and your 6 year old will do well in structured routines. For instance, once he is back from school, after lunch and half an hour rest, you can sit with him to guide him in his homework. Keep distractions away like TV, friends at home etc. Have the almanac in front and encourage your child to make a homework checklist. Ask him which subject he would like to start with.
Set a timer for each task. Competing simple assignments first will be ideal. This will sensitize your child to plan his work, ensure timely completion and setting priorities. This realization will definitely take time, but by being consistent, he will be completing his homework and also laying down the foundation for hassle free homework in the years to come.
Provide assistance like writing the first sentence of a paragraph or giving directions step wise. If a project is given on Monday and has to be submitted on Friday, break the project in small chunks and encourage your child to work on it little by little daily so that by Thursday it’s completed. Monitor the work in progress daily. Being consistent, keeping your tone positive, giving him undivided attention and setting the same time daily for homework are all techniques which will make your child look forward to doing homework.
