Where does homework get done?

So, our 10-yr-old only has maybe 30 min to an hour of homework a night, max, and that includes assigned reading every night and multiplication practice. However, he is very easily distracted. 3:30 - 5:30 at our house is pretty chaotic - kids just get up from naps, Dad gets home, Mom gets home, everyone's happy to see everyone - it's not quiet. I can try to take them outside when I get home at 4:30, but then they eat dinner around 5 to 5:30, so I can only give him about a half hour of quiet.

Often he needs help, especially, for instance, when he's practicing his mult tables. He tries to do his homework at the kitchen table, but it takes him twice as long because he keeps getting distracted by the little kids. It feels wrong to make him go to the office or his room, where it's quiet, because he has to get up and come get us every time he has a question.

What do you do? Do they go off by themselves to do homework? Do we need to keep forcing him to try to concentrate amid distractions because that's a good skill to have, even if it means he sits at that table for 2 hours most afternoons?

He has football practice from 6:30 to 8:30 Mon, Tue, Thur, so he has to get his homework done before then, otherwise we could try to let him do it after the twins go to bed at 7. We don't like that much anyway, because we feel like it makes it easier to procrastinate. We like the routine of get home, get a snack, get your homework done. Then, afterwards, he has time to play or do whatever else he wants. BUT...the timing is terrible - the little ones don't understand how to be quiet.

 

I dont have a 10 yr old, but I know starting in 4th grade our schools encouraged kids to do 'homework' in a quiet spot and then have parents look it over (depending on the assignment of course).

Especially reading....I cant concentrate on reading if it is noisy! I cant imagine a 10 yr old could. The times facts would be easier to practice or even have the little ones 'help' by holding flash cards. You could even divide it up--- reading in his room or another room and then math facts with you in the kitchen???

Another option if you want him in the kitchen to keep an eye is headphones/ear plugs. If he goes to another room- take 5 minutes and go over instructions/directions/etc before he starts so he has few questions. Or have him attempt as much as he can on his own and then do all the questions afterward and finish up with parental help.

Learning to tune out distractions is a good skill and does need to be practiced, but I would not want a 10 yr to take 2 hours to do 30 min of homework to practice.

In 5th grade they specifically ask parents to help their kids work independently as much as possible to help develop time management/independent skills needed in Middle School (6th grade +).

 

Great question!

My dd doesn't get too easily distracted so she does her homework at the breakfast bar in the kitchen amongst chaos. Her soccer practice is also 40 min away so she will often do it in the car on the way to practice. It's nice and quiet there.

My son is another story. An ant could distract that boy! I will try him at the breakfast bar and have all the other kids go somewhere else. I usually do this while I am cooking dinner so I am right there to see how he is doing. I find when I have him go somewhere else he finds a distraction and I don't know about it so I have found getting rid of the other kids (making them go out to play or to the basement) works best. It's not a great solution but I haven't found a better one yet.

 

Thanks for the replies! Both of you shared great ideas - we might try the headphones. Also, we are working on him being more independent. He always wants help. DH is bad about just giving him the answer, while I try to make him come around to it himself. Even when he forgets a mult fact - he wants me to "help" him remember it, by giving him a fact nearby. He says his teachers do that for him - I don't like that. I always get him to remember the 5's or 10's facts, and work from there. He always knows his 5's and 10's.

Also, it makes me feel better that your son also struggles with concentration - I don't get it - with the mult facts often I have to call the same one out to him 3 or 4 times, because he gets so distracted.

So far, sending the other kids outside and letting him have a quiet kitchen has been a good solution, if we can keep the kids outside with me or DH.

 

When the boys get in, we sit down at the table and I look through their back packs and folders. I go over it with them and then they tell me everything they did. If there is something for them to do extra, they sit at the table and do it while I am making supper. In between stirring and cooking I sit down with them.

 

Is there any way you can have a neighborhood kid come over to play with the little ones so you are available to make dinner/help with homework? That way he can work in a quiet kitchen, and you can cook without distraction as well

 

Great idea!! Our neighbors are few and far-between, but I'm going to think about the idea.

It's hard, though, working all day, and then asking someone else to watch the kids even when I'm home...