As a parent or someone in a parenting role, you play an essential role in your child’s/teen’s success. There are intentional ways to grow a healthy parent-child relationship, and setting up a homework routine provides a terrific opportunity.

Children/Teens ages 11-14 are in the process of adapting early school-age learning habits to their more demanding workload. They are establishing critical learning habits that will extend throughout their school years, including how they approach homework assignments. For most children/teens, homework is a nightly reality. Research shows that a parent or someone in a parenting role plays a key role. Children/Teens with a parent or someone in a parenting role supporting learning at home and engaged in their school community have more consistent school attendance, better social skills, and higher grade point averages and test scores than those children/teens without such involvement.^1^ Indeed, parental involvement best predicts students’ academic achievement.

Yet, there are challenges. You may discover outdated and uncompleted assignments crumpled in your child’s/teen’s backpack. Your child/teen may procrastinate on a long-term project until it becomes a crisis the night before it’s due. Questioning their work may result in arguments when they have other goals.

While getting a regular homework routine going might be challenging, it can be a positive experience and promote valuable skills for school and life success. The steps below include specific, practical strategies and effective conversation starters to support a homework routine cooperatively without a daily battle.

Children/Teens ages eleven to fourteen will require managing a larger and more complex workload and need new study skills. This will take a whole new level of planning and organization. Their homework assignments can become a daily challenge if you don’t create regular routines with input from your children/teens in advance, clarify roles and responsibilities, and establish a plan for success.

Today, in the short term, homework routines can create

● greater cooperation and motivation

● more significant opportunities for connection and enjoyment as you each implement your respective roles and feel set up for success

● trust in each other that you have the competence to complete your responsibilities with practice and care

● less frustration due to better organization, space, and resources

● opportunities to learn about your child’s/teen’s school curriculum

Tomorrow, in the long term, your child/teen

● builds skills in collaboration and cooperative goal-setting

● builds skills in responsible decision-making, hard work, and persistence

● gains independence, life skills competence, and self-sufficiency

● develops positive learning habits that contribute directly to school success

This five-step process helps your family establish a homework routine and builds essential skills in your child/teen. The same process can also address other parenting issues (learn more about the process)[1] .

Tip: These steps are best when you and your child/teen are not tired or in a rush.

Tip: Intentional communication[2] and a healthy parenting relationship[3] support these...