Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sponsored threads

This topic is for sponsored discussions. If you'd like to run one with us, please email [email protected].

MNHQ

Talk to Explore Learning about helping your DCs with their homework - you could win a £250 Love2Shop voucher NOW CLOSED

237 replies

AngelieMumsnet · 09/09/2014 13:06

We've been asked by Mumsnet Family Friendly Innovation Award winners, Explore Learning, to find out about Mumsnetters' experiences with helping their DCs with their homework.

Explore Learning say "As a tuition provider, it's our aim to teach children skills that are directly transferable to the classroom, and give them confidence to tackle their work at school (we don't set any extra homework for our members to do). We also aim to reduce the stress for parents at homework time, and would like to find out more about what would make lives easier for mums and dads when it comes to helping or encouraging their kids."

So, how - if at all - do you help your DCs with their homework? Do you sit with them while they work on it? Or if your DCs are older, do you just leave them to it? What are the challenges when it comes to homework? When's the best time to tackle it? Are there any subjects which you find it harder to help your DCs with? Where's the best place to do it in your home?

Whatever your experiences of helping your DCs with their homework, Explore Learning would love to hear about it.

Every MNer who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, where one winner will receive a £250 Love2Shop voucher.

Please note your comments may be included on Explore Learning's social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

OP posts:
Squina1 · 22/09/2014 13:33

Homework time is a constant battle with my eldest. She has just started secondary school and wants to work on her own, but always approaches it with half the effort. However, if we try and sit with her to explain things to her she just gets cross and says she can do it herself. She also finds it difficult to take any criticism (negative or positive) when we review it.

My second child is quite the opposite and is totally self-motivated. She also puts 100% effort in and it comes very naturally to her.

However, I have a horrible feeling my third child is going to be like my first. He received his first lot of homework from his new junior school last week and really had no interest in doing it and put in the minimum amount of effort.

Let's hope dc #4 takes after dc #2!!

vixxx666 · 22/09/2014 13:40

I have to bribe my son to make him do it. He turns his nintendo on to charge the controllers, and only when he's finished his homework is he allowed to play on it. He's only been at school 2 weeks but has had to practice his writing at home, and this has been the only way I've been able to get him to do it!

alison991 · 22/09/2014 15:20

My son rarely gets homework which I find annoying. I always did reading and writing practice with him and now get him revison books

sanfairyanne · 22/09/2014 17:26

i will sit and help if asked but i try to encourage them to think about the help they need rather than just expecting me to do it
ds just likes the company Smile

tinam1 · 22/09/2014 17:41

Always try and make it fun.

baconbap · 22/09/2014 18:30

I don't think they should have homework at junior school

Kangakate · 22/09/2014 18:36

I try to sit down with my DC and help with their homework, but sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed and not sure if I'm helping

chunkychocky · 22/09/2014 19:14

My sons are in year 4 and year 2 and both have 15 minutes of reading each day. Until they are proficient readers it is important that they read to me, but now they are both excellent readers they read to themselves and then we discuss what they have read and I ask them questions. They also receive one set piece of homework each week which is supposed to take up to half an hour. We always try to get it done at the weekend as life is too chaotic during the week with all of the after-school clubs. I leave them to do their homework themselves unless they ask for help. They both always show me their work if they do it without help so that I can confirm if they have done it correctly and give praise. The youngest is always eager to get his done, but the older one has always needed a gentle reminder (ie nagging every 15 minutes on a Saturday until he has done it).

louiseoc · 22/09/2014 19:48

Helping my eldest son with his weekly homework is like an episode of 'are you smarter than a 10 year old?' and the answer to that question is no! We regularly have to use the net to research answers, definitions and get advice. It's great though as we always find more information to learn from. My youngest son has also gained knowledge from listening to our conversations and I am happy to say that he is considered one of the brighter ones in his class. Homework can be a battle when we're nearing the end of term but a little encouragement and a small bribe keeps my boys going! Never did I have this volume of homework when at primary school, not looking forward to the volume from secondary school come next Sept.

GinetteandWill · 22/09/2014 20:09

DS1 is currently in yr2, he still needs lots of help with his homework.

I usually sit with him and explain what he needs to do, then encourage him to do as much as he can by himself, but I sit with him while he's doing it as he often needs help - sometimes its simply telling him how to spell something so that he doesn't spell it phonetically, other times he needs more help and encouragement.

cathyov · 22/09/2014 20:38

When the kids were younger it did use to feel as if homework was for parents. When they moved onto key stage 3 it was all down to them.

sofieellis · 22/09/2014 21:00

DS1 and DS2 were a nightmare all through school regarding homework. They always said they had done it all, when teachers frequently told us otherwise! Still, they managed to get to uni, so all was not lost!

DS3 is a different matter altogether. He comes in from school, gets a drink, goes upstairs and gets his homework done without us having to say a thing. If he gets stuck, he comes down and asks for help, or if he needs materials he lets us know. So far, it's a lot easier this time around.

kel1981 · 22/09/2014 21:03

I'd love to be able to help my daughter with her maths homework but the way they work sums out now has changed an I don't understand it myself!

winkymcwinkle · 22/09/2014 21:11

My DD loves us to help with her homework, we sit at the dining table together. We are happy to be with her and break things down for her, but not answer the questions, or do it for her.

fairyprincess79 · 22/09/2014 21:14

My little girl is only at nursery but we meet with the 'teachers' to discuss how we can assist with the work carried out at nursery. As she's only young we incorporate this into every day play so she doesn't have a clue it is anything more than that. Fortunately she loves 'learning' and is desperate to learn to read and write - I just hope this continues into school as it will make education and homework so much easier!

JWalker23 · 22/09/2014 21:22

Just always needs a refresher course on what to do, also things seems to have changed since I learnt things!

grannybiker · 22/09/2014 21:23

Middle one has "Big Write" homework where he has to talk about and plan a pieces of writing. This extended writing is then done in class the next day. He HATES the writing, but enjoys generating the ideas.

candish63 · 22/09/2014 21:26

I let my older ones get on with their homework on their own, they come to me if they get stuck and I check that they take it back in on time. The others yr1, 3 and 4. We sit at the dinner table and work through it together, reading, times tables and spelling. They get too much homework, no time is left for play after school

fuzzpig · 22/09/2014 21:27

DH went down to DD's new school (junior) today for a meet the teacher q&a type thing. I have to say, I'm impressed! They've communicated brilliantly about how all the homework stuff is going to work. I know exactly what's expected of DD with daily reading, weekly maths/topic homework (it alternates) and weekly spellings. DD now has a contact book type thing where it all goes (very grown up - I didn't have one til secondary!) and I feel much happier now that I know what the structure will be. I think DD will thrive on this too.

mamof3boys · 22/09/2014 21:42

My eldest son has homework twice a week - maths and English. His teacher has asked that we don't help with the maths but we can help with the English, so this is what I do. It is difficult to get him to do his homework at times, especially if it's creative, but he always does it in the end.

BL0SS0M · 22/09/2014 21:48

i used to help out with DD homework but it got to the stage were she was relying on me to help with every homework, so i had to back off, which was difficult to do, and let her deal with it herself! She wasn't happy to begin with but it has helped her to focus and listen more in class and to be more independent!

mancmummy40 · 22/09/2014 22:32

I help both of my children with their homework, Alfie is 6 and Alex 11. I find it quite difficult to hold back from giving them the answers but try tomguide them to finding the answer for themselves. Some of the stuff Alex brings home goes way over my head anyway lol.

Wargghhhh · 22/09/2014 22:33

My 2 kids are 6 and 5, the eldest (a girl) has always been quite studious and requires little supervision with her homework, the youngest (a boy) is a completely different story and has to be bribed / coerced into doing it.

I try to do homework straight after school and bribe them with a DVD or sweets or something. Yes, not ideal, but at least it gets done! I'm hoping as they get older, that less bribery will be required... though I suspect I may have built a rod for my own back.... :-/

Gill81uk · 22/09/2014 22:35

I don't have any experience yet as my little boy has just started school. I'm dreading finding time to fit it in as he is so tired when he comes home, and we barely seem to have enough time to do the other things we want to do.

marshgirl · 22/09/2014 22:42

At primary school , my daughter had plenty of homework which we tried to help with. Luckily her dad took maths and I took literacy. Sunday mornings were taken up with homework , mainly struggling on the literacy side as that is her weakest subject. I would take my lead from her, I would normally be in the room unless I got the impression she was understanding things, If this wasn't the case then I would talk things through , sometimes having to use the internet to translate the meaning .
Now she has started secondary school , it is bliss. Her school hours are 8:30 - 5:00 4 days a week and 8:30 - 2:30 on the 5th day. The long hours mean they are given breakfast and do all their school work at school , leaving evenings/ weekends and holidays free. There thinking behind this is to make sure everybody does their homework and they have access to trained teachers and equipment.
Great for me, the only thing she has to do at home is read for 20 minutes every night. That is very acceptable.