How to Overcome Common Homework Excuses
As the school year kicks off, students often struggle to get back into the routine. You might start hearing excuses for not completing homework. Here are some tips to combat the most common ones:
"I'll do it later."
Avoid this excuse by establishing a daily homework routine. Your child should know that a specific time is set aside for homework each day. Once their work is done, they can enjoy some silent reading."I don't know where to start."
This could stem from either confusion or feeling overwhelmed. To tackle it, figure out the real issue. If they’re struggling with understanding, help them work through it. If they’re overwhelmed, break the assignment into smaller, manageable steps."I just need to respond to this text."
Like the first excuse, this can be prevented by setting boundaries around electronics. Try a “no electronics during homework” rule or allow ten minutes of free time for every 50 minutes of focused work."It's too hard."
If the assignment is truly difficult, talk it through with your child. Have them identify what they don’t understand, then guide them to a solution. Remember, the goal is to help them figure it out—not do the work for them.
The key is to acknowledge how your child feels, but also guide them through those feelings. This can be tricky, especially as kids seek more independence in middle and high school. However, encouraging them to complete homework on time helps prevent the habit of procrastination, which can be a problem when hard deadlines come around.
