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Homework blues

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“At 9, my daughter resists doing her homework. I have to keep nagging and reminding her and then watch her do it and then check everything. Sometimes I feel like I’m the one being given homework! Surely this isn’t normal for Grade 3?”

The question you need to explore with your daughter is why she is resisting this work. Is it perhaps the amount of homework she is being given?

At Grade 3 level homework is meant to be just a token. Another possibility could be that she is not completing the required work during the school time and the teacher is asking her to finish it off at home.

Discussion with your daughter and the teacher could shed light on this.

Once you’ve sorted out the issues, draw up a homework schedule with your child. She may choose to come home, have something to eat, a short rest and then do her work. Or she may choose to come home and complete any homework before she plays. This needs to be applied consistently (although not rigidly) and there should be formative consequences for an agreement breached.

For example, withdraw television viewing privileges for a short while, but allow her to do a puzzle or read a book. Don’t let it become a battle of wills. If you do, it could have long-term detrimental educational implications.

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