As a parent, it may be difficult to see your child struggling with homework. Their homework may be beyond their capabilities. Or they may just be getting frustrated by the overwhelming quantity of work they have to do.
Parents may be tempted to step in and help their kids out to relieve some of the stress. But can helping your child with homework do more harm than good? Read on to find out what experts have to say.
Do Children Whose Parents Help with Homework Get Better Grades?
The idea of helping kids with their homework is to boost the child’s grades. This is not necessarily based on getting the homework right. The idea is that the parent will help the child better understand the subject they are struggling with so they do better overall.
However, studies have shown that children whose parents help them with their homework tend to have lower grades than those who do homework independently. But it’s not necessarily the parents’ assistance that’s lowering grades.
Children who struggle with homework tend to be lower-performing students. So their low grades are linked more to their capabilities than their parent’s help.
Should Parents Help Children with Their Homework?
Now that we have established that children’s low grades are more about nature than nurture, we can focus on the root of the issue. Should parents help children with homework?
Research reveals that children with low scores whose parents help them with homework have seen an improvement in grades. Therefore, asking parents to stop helping their children with homework can hurt kids more than anything.
Parental involvement with homework has also been shown to yield the following benefits.
● Lower Stress and Anxiety: If a child is having problems with a certain subject, they may be experiencing stress and anxiety. Having their parents there to help may calm them down.
● It’s a Bonding Activity: When parents help children with homework, children see at as a bonding activity. They will always remember the time they spent with their parents working on projects and homework.
● They Can go More In-Depth: It may seem like the school year goes on forever. But the truth is, teachers are often given little time to cram in a lot of information. When parents help children with homework, they give them extra time to go over concepts which improve learning and retention.
● Especially Vital in a Home Learning Environment: The recent pandemic has taught us all how much a child can benefit by having live contact with their teachers. They will feel even more engaged if they are in a classroom setting. Having a parent step in can be beneficial if a child is homeschooling or engaging in virtual learning for any other reason.
● Increases Critical Thinking: When parents review homework with their children, it encourages the child to think critically about the work they are doing. When critical thinking improves, children are in better shape to make smart decisions, understand cause and effect, and solve problems.
How To Help a Child with Homework
Parents will only be beneficial to their children when assisting them with homework if they take the right approach. Here are some methods that are recommended.
● Help, But Don’t Do the Work for Them: Parents should be as hands-off as possible when helping their children with homework. If your child is doing fine with their homework, there is no need to assist them.
● Provide Options: If your child gets stuck on a certain problem, encourage them to consider different angles and perspectives rather than feeding them the answer.
● Cater to Your Child’s Learning Styles: Different kids have different learning styles. You may find that your child learns best when they are interactive. Or you may find they need a more straightforward approach.
● Get Help: if you are becoming frustrated because you have too much to deal with and can’t take the time to help your kid, or if your kid’s just not getting it, you may want to call in a tutor or talk to the teacher.
● Try Activities Rather Than Homework: Some parents find it more effective to do activities with their children to enforce a certain concept rather than do the homework itself.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of opinions flying around as to whether a parent should help their child with homework. But recent studies show that it can lead to many benefits. What side of the ring do you weigh in on?
