A lot of parents dread homework as much as their kids do but it has to be done.

Often times, parents spend loads of time trying to figure out what is supposed to be done versus what was accomplished and trying to figure out if it was completed correctly.

At every age level it can be overwhelming. Until you’ve had a six-year-old look you in the eye and say, “My teacher doesn’t do it like that”, or have to look a 15-year-old in the eye and say, “I really have no idea honey, go ask Mommy”, then you have not been properly humbled.

With your shoulders tensed, your patience frayed, and your fingers itching to just snatch the pencil, remember the benefits of parental involvement in homework.

Being involved in your child’s homework offers an absolutely priceless way to monitor the quality of learning the school is providing as well as being able to see first hand how your child is responding to that learning.

Below is a list of suggestions to ensure positive homework communications.

1. Encourage a positive frame of mind - a relaxed, eager child with positive support is much better then a cranky, hungry child with a tense, easily angered parent.

2. Choose a consistent place to do homework. Somewhere with a table or desk and a comfortable chair.

3. Choose a consistent time to do homework. It may be as soon as you get home, or directly after a snack. For new students, try to avoid it being too late as they are exhausted from school and often approaching crash time when sleep is quickly setting upon them.

4. Some of the Island’s After School Care programmes allow children to do their homework while there.

Once at home, it is essential that parents review the work with the child to underscore that they are interested and that homework is a very important task.

5. Make sure you remember to sign homework books and respond to school notes for the very same reason, to underscore to teachers that you are interested and consider your child’s education vital.

6. Be realistic when setting the amount of time allocated for homework. While older children can concentrate for over an hour, first graders are unlikely to last more than fifteen minutes - allow for breaks.

7. It’s quite useful to teach your child that the scheduled homework time stands regardless if there has been an assignment. The concept is that general studying is as important as actual homework assignments.

8. Keep a close eye out for frustration. Little can be accomplished when upset or angry. It is better to halt the homework for the night then to let it escalate to a tense situation. You do not want your child to relate homework to fights and stress.

9. Parents should help with homework only when it is productive to do so. If it is something the child should be able to handle himself than allow them the learning experience, especially since there is no better positive reinforcement than a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

10. Parents if help is needed, give it calmly and cheerfully. Resentful, complaining help is worse than no help at all!! One final piece of advice - TURN OFF THE TV SET!

Television draws children of all ages like bees to honey. There are mixed thoughts about radios, some specialists say that children function fine with radios on. It’s generally thought that if music is allowed, it should not be too loud and it should be positive, soft music versus heavy bass with negative connotation beats.