Homework

[Anonymous]

Is there any way to get a sixth grade boy to become self-motivated about homework?

[Anonymous]

No TV or electronics or cell phone until homework is done.

[Anonymous]

If you figure it out, put it in a box, sell it, and you will make a mint.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Totally agree about the electronics. I just want ds to do more than the bare minimum that's due the very next day. Sooooooooo tired of having to be on his case about his homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any way to get a sixth grade boy to become self-motivated about homework?

No, but there is hope for the future. Actually, I don't know if the answer is really NO, but we also had difficulty getting our boys motivated at that age to do their homework.

It was a pretty difficult time for our family. We like you, believe in the importance of education and the importance of getting assigned duties, tasks, and responsibilities completed. There must be a better method than ours, but we just remained involved, helped to keep track of assignments, helped when we could, and just stayed on their backs about it all. Several years later they have now developed better study skills and require less supervision. However, they still require more than I think should be necessary.

The only single motivator that seems to have worked consistently is our household rule of "NO ELECTRONICS UNTIL YOUR HOMEWORK IS FINISHED."

P.S. Helping with homework is not always as easy as it sounds because in some subjects, I’m actually not “Smarter Than a Fifth Grader.”
Good luck, I think they usually do grow out of it, but in the short term it can be very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

I worked with DS on this very thing from Grade Four to Grade Six and somehow he finally became motivated. Ask DS if he's tried his best, gave it his all, etc. We talked about the traits of a scholar, too. Goodness I get exhausted just thinking about this.

[Anonymous]

We don't allow electronics Sun-Thurs. nights, so there is not the temptation to rush through the homework to get the electronic reward. Between dinner, homework, piano practice, and bath, there is not a lot of extra time. If there is extra time, DC can go to the neighborhood park or read for pleasure. Sometimes, DC just extends the piano without meaning to, and gets a really good practice in.

[Anonymous]

My neighbor does was 16:12 does, and her parents did it with her. The logic being that if there is TV/computer after HW, then you will just rush through HW to get to it. But if you aren't getting electronics anyway, then there's really no point to rush the HW.

[Anonymous]

This year we have also set a no electronics Sun to Thurs policy, So far, so good. An unexpected bonus-our son gets bored, and puts himself to bed a full hour before his actual bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Sit him down with his agenda book every day before and after HW and review all. Make it a bit of a pain. Tell him that if he can remember to do on his own, you won't be so involved.

That's what we do with DD - we get WAY involved if there is a stream of forgetting things, and she knows if she gets back on track, she can get things done her way without us meddling....

Not sure if that will work.

[Anonymous]

22:04 here- not that we aren't "involved" the rest of the time, just that we don't get so into the nitty gritty.

[Anonymous]

Do you think this would work with a 16 year old? I'm at my wits end.

[Anonymous]

I use natural consequences for my child. HW is part of her grade and if her grade isn't high enough in each subject, she receives a penalty. Generally, a loss of privileges - no TV, computer games, etc. Something she really values. I let her crash and burn in one quarter and then punished her by removing her privileges. Haven't had a problem since. I simply don't fight about it. She is told what the consequence is and then I follow through and she does not get a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No TV or electronics or cell phone until homework is done.

We tried that, but then there was the rush to finish so that he could get at the TV and electronics. Work quality sucked, grades sucked, so now there is no TV or electronics from sunday afternoon to friday after school. The grades are up, and my kids now play with each other.

[Anonymous]

What with a 16-year-old?