4 Reasons Not to Help Your Children with Homework

It is often tempting to help a struggling kid with homework. Many parents think that in such a way they help their children to improve. However, Keith Robinson and Angel L. Harris, authors of The Broken Compass, have a different opinion, which is backed up with data.

Their study reveals that helping children with homework does not help them to study better but also diminish their educational results. And that is not the only reason to skip regular family reunions in front of the homework. Here are four more.

1: Temporary Help Is Less Effective in the Long Run

Helping kids with homework might help them to get better grades at first. But keep in mind that this strategy is only effective for a short period. In the long run, it is rather detrimental as children start to rely on the parents’ skills way too heavily. The result? They do not develop their skillset.

It is something that every parent wants to avoid, especially if their children are planning to become college students. So, instead of focusing on instant help and fast results, parents should help their kids to become independent learners. For example, by allowing them to solve the equation alone, even if takes more time.

2: It Makes the Child Less Prepared for College 

For sure, schools have a challenging curriculum with lots of homework. Some parents might want to take a part of this work to ensure that their kids have more free time. However, this strategy does more harm than good.

Studying at school and taking the best out of it is the best preparation before college. If the kids can study in-dependently, they will learn how to prioritize the tasks and become better in time-management. These skills are invaluable during college studies, which are way more demanding than school homework.

Still, it is important to understand the difference between school and college. Studying in college is way more stressful as students often live far away from parents and combine education with other responsibilities, such as a part-time job. In such a case, it is wise to use the help of reliable sources, such as write my essay online websites.

3: It Is Noticeable

Skills and mindset of adults and school students have some differences. So, the help of parents is rarely going unnoticeable by school teachers. Especially when it comes to writing school papers.

Sometimes parents help their kids as they think that teachers are expecting to see the best work possible. Not quite so.

KJ Dell’Antonia argues that teachers want to see not the best work and not the parent’s work. Their main goal is to see a child’s work as it helps to understand their progress and adjust the learning path. So, do not take this chance to learn away from children.

4: It Is Unproductive Not Only for Kids but Also for Parents 

The modern world is busy — and so are parents. They have lots of responsibilities and this homework duty is not only ineffective. It also creates lots of stress, both for parents and kids.

Still, it does not mean that parents should not be involved in their kids studying. Making sure that children are doing well at school is crucial. So here are two effective ways to do so:

Make sure that kids completed their homework, but do not go beyond that point.

Focus on a big picture, not on the separate tasks. For example, if the child has to prepare a big school project, discuss it together and come up with a basic outline. After that, let the child work on it alone and be creative.

And the most important thing. Constantly remind kids that they are capable to do any, even the most challenging homework. Keep in mind that the goal of parents is to empower their children and give them confidence. It is so needed not only at school but also further in life.
Elizabeth Price.