Is your son or daughter struggling with homework?

As a parent, helping with homework isn’t about spending hours hunched over a desk with your child!  Parents can be supportive by demonstrating study skills and role modelling organisation skills, explaining a tricky problem if needed, or just encouraging kids to take a break every now and then!

Here's some important things to remember when it comes to homework ...

Get to know your child’s teachers, and what they're looking for by keeping an open line of communication with the school and the teachers.  HCC’s recommended homework and study times are as follows:

Year	Mon-Friday	Weekends
7	1 hour	1 – 1 ½ hours
8	1 – 1 ½ hours	2 hours
9	1 ½ hours	2 ½ hours
10	Minimum 2 – 2 ½ hours, five times per week
11/12	Minimum 3 hours, five times per week

Ensure your child has a homework-friendly area in your home – make sure it is well-lit and ventilated and fully supplied with paper, pencils, etc.

Work out a regular study time – remembering that some kids work best in the afternoon, following a snack and play and others may prefer to wait until after dinner.

Trying helping them make a plan – if it’s a really heavy homework night or if there’s a difficult assignment to tackle, encourage them to break up the work into manageable chunks.  Don’t forget to build in some regular breaks (10/15 minutes each hour)

Minimise any distractions such as TV, loud music, or phone calls.

Don’t do the homework for them!  They won't learn if they don't think for themselves and make their own mistakes. Parents can make suggestions and help with directions, but don’t do it for them.

Motivate and monitor – Offer some words of encouragement, check their completed homework, and be available for questions and concerns if they have any.

Set a good example. Think about what your kids are seeing you do … do they see you reading a book, planning your weekly budget or making time for a healthy breakfast?  Remember that your child is more likely to follow your example rather than your advice.

Praise their work and efforts – often! Stick a great test score or their latest artwork on the fridge.  Mention their achievements to relatives and friends.

If there are continuing problems with homework, get help.  Talk to their teacher to eliminate broader issues which may be impacting on their learning, consider a tutor

Some Interesting and Upcoming Courses for Parents

Are you looking to enhance your parenting skills, strengthen your relationship with your child and gain more confidence in your parenting in general?  You are not alone!  Being effective as a parent is not automatic and is always demanding and challenging.  There's no 'instructions', but there ARE courses and workshops and there is a wealth of information out there for anyone interested.  

Why not consider a parenting workshop, run by experienced and trained professionals?  You'll be able to share your own ideas and experiences with other parents, build your confidence and develop some important skills  

Relationships Australia offer a range of workshops throughout the year, call them direct to book and check out their website for more information at http://www.relationships.org.au.

“Mums Raising Boys” – up to the age of 12 years

Cost:  $25 pp

Time:  6:30pm – 9:00pm

Venues: 

Fremantle:  Thursday 1^st May 2014 

West Leederville:  Tuesday 29^th April & Wednesday 23^rd July 2014

Joondalup:  Wednesday 14^th May 2014

"Kids and Today’s Technology"

Cost:  $35pp/$50 per couple

Time:  6:30pm – 9:00pm

Venues:

West Leederville:  Monday 9^th and 16^th June 2014

Fremantle:  Thursday 3^rd and 10^th April 2014

"Parent-Child Connection"

Cost:  $50pp / $75 per couple

Time:  6:30 pm – 9:00pm

Venue:  West Leederville:  Mondays 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd, 30^th June 2014

Parenting WA also run courses and there's a 2-session course coming up called "Engaging Adolescents”.  To be held on Tuesday 17^th and 24^th June, from 9:15am – 12 noon at the Altone Public Library, Beechboro.  It's free!

Is your child new to school this year and still struggling with some separation distress?

Separation distress or anxiety is quite common - changes of environment, people, routines and the number of other children they are interacting with can all cause spikes in the hormone cortisol, which creates the stress symptoms that you may see – crying, clinging, tummy aches, refusal to leave your side, poor appetite, restless sleep and even outbursts and tantrums.  This means the ‘downstairs brain’ is registering threat – and is acting accordingly. They key stressor for children is separation from the most significant grownup who is their protector. 

Here's 10 tips to help (compliments of Parenting Expert Maggie Dent, from www.maggiedent.com)

As a starting point, it is useful to explain to kids that new things, places and people often make even adults feel those same feelings of being a little unsettled or anxious.

Young children usually have strong imaginations and there are some small techniques that strengthen the connection to Mum or Dad while they are away can help lots: 

1.     You could help them create an imaginary protector – They imagine having their huge protector with them while they are away from you! I have two free downloads that could help here  http://www.maggiedent.com/content/free-downloads

2.     Fill an empty, clean, small container with a lid with kisses from everyone they are fond of, and tuck it in the bottom of their back pack.

3.     As they leave home always place a kiss from mummy in the same hand, left and daddy in the right … it is also magic and stays there all day.

4.     Practise sending them rainbows of love from your heart to theirs at recess and lunch and ask them to send one to you when they miss you.

5.     Put a really small stuffed toy – maybe smelling of your perfume, Dad’s after shave or with a lipstick kiss – in bottom of backpack. Again they don’t feel so separate and alone.

6.     Draw funny pictures on their lunch bags.

7.     Take a small bite out of their sandwich.

8.     Teach them how to take 3 big breaths and breathe out the butterflies hiding in their tummy or gently rub their tummy telling the butterflies they are safe.

9.     Teach them how to calm themselves by singing 'Round and Round the Garden' in their hand while making circles in their hand, just as you would do – music and touch trigger feel-good hormones.

10.   Help build a special connection to one teacher or teacher assistant who can nurture their transition.

These tips can be modified to help children going on school camps too!