Should You Check Over Your Child's Homework?

Homework is a kind of double-edged sword for a lot of families. In one respect, helping with homework is a good way to deepen your connection with your child and help them to solidify their learning. But on the other hand, too much help from parents can hinder learning and educational growth.

The fact of the matter is that children are far more likely to finish their homework successfully when they get help and monitoring from their parents. However, how closely you monitor your child’s homework can impact how much they’re learning and how well they do in school.

Below are some pros and cons to help you answer the question: should you check over your child’s homework?

Advantages of Checking Your Child’s Homework
The U.S. Department of Education reports that students usually spend more time on homework when their parents show an active interest in their studies. Reviewing your child’s work isn’t simply a chance to ensure they’re completing it properly, but also a chance to be involved in what they’re learning.

There are many reasons why more parental involvement with schoolwork is a good thing. Some of the advantages include:

• An opportunity to deepen your relationship with your child
• Insight into your child’s academic development
• Connection with your child’s school curriculum to help you understand their progression
• Teaching a child time management skills
• More active participation with your child’s school
• Insight into ways your child may be struggling with what they’re learning, and an opportunity to offer guidance

The only catch to all the above advantages? There’s a line between assisting your child with their homework by checking it and simply doing it for them – a line that can be tempting to cross at times when your child is really struggling. Your intentions may be genuine, but it’s easy to veer into territory that is counterproductive to your child’s learning.

Disadvantages of Checking Your Child’s Homework
While there are plenty of advantages to checking your child’s homework, it’s important to understand the drawbacks, too. While you want to be involved with your child’s work on some level, it’s important to avoid certain things that can turn your help into a disadvantage, such as:

• Helping in a way that can lead them to feel as if they can’t complete tasks on their own
• Guidance that becomes excessive and puts pressure on the child to perform
• Guidance that keeps your child from learning the content, or learning an important lesson about dealing with failure
• Guidance that doesn’t allow your child to manage their own workload and learn how to be responsible for their own homework completion

The bottom line is that kids really need autonomy. In fact, research shows that kids who aren’t given the autonomy to make their own choices have a higher rate of depression and are less satisfied with their lives. So, even though you may see your child struggling, it’s important to remember as a parent that you have to let them learn their own life lessons – you cannot shield them from the world, including getting things wrong in their schoolwork.

How You Can Help
So what are some constructive ways you can help your child? There are several! You can:

• Understand the school’s homework policy. Ask your child’s teachers about the guidelines and rules surrounding homework assignments and what will be expected of students. You should also discuss your role in helping your child with their work; the teacher should be able to give you solid guidance about how much parent involvement a child really needs or should have.
• Make yourself available. Just letting your kids know that you’re there to help them if they need is a big deal. As long as they’re aware you’re always around to answer a question or help them work through a slump, that can make all the difference in their confidence as they complete their work on their own.
• Look over their assignments – but don’t correct them. If you want to check your child’s assignment, then do so. But don’t correct all their mistakes; simply make sure they get the work done and then review it together once the teacher has graded it.
• Monitor their screen time. Children spend a lot of time on screens these days. If your child is really struggling with homework or completing their assignments to their teacher’s satisfaction, consider how much screen time they’re getting. Ensure they’re prioritizing their homework before they get to play video games or watch television.

The bottom line is that being involved with your child’s schooling is a good thing. But it’s also an area in which you must allow them some independence. By finding a good balance, you can build your child’s self-esteem and help them to take responsibility for their work. These are lessons that will stay with them and serve them well their entire life.

If you have questions about the right way to be involved, simply reach out to your child’s teacher. Many teachers are happy to discuss with you the ways you can positively contribute to your child’s learning.

Featured image by John Schnobrich on Unsplash