HOMEWORK CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS Dragging children away from the television to do homework can be a trying experience. But with a little creativity you can help your child beat homework anxiety. Here are seven ways to help your child focus on homework. Designate a location for doing homework. Find a quiet area of your house, perhaps a desk in his room or a corner in the family room. Ensure that the area is well-lighted and far from distractions such as a television, computer or phone. Put together a homework kit. Make sure you keep homework supplies near your child’s desk or homework space. Get a range of supplies such as pencils, a dictionary, a thesaurus, glue, scissors, construction paper and colored pencils. Being organized helps a child begin homework immediately instead of searching for supplies. Find appropriate background music. Studies show that listening to soft classical music can actually help a child concentrate better. Help your child choose instrumental music to listen to while doing homework. Establish a routine. Talk to your child about her daily activities and make a schedule with allotted time for homework, time for extracurricular activities and time for fun. Involving your child in making a schedule helps her manage her time instead of procrastinating. Think about multimedia alternatives. Consider buying audio textbooks where children can listen instead of reading. Another possible resource is online textbooks. These alternatives may make homework more interesting for your child. Show your child homework is important. Discuss the importance of homework as a family. Ask your children not to distract each other while they are doing homework. Help younger children make a “do not disturb” sign. They can decorate the sign and put it up when they begin their homework. This demonstrates that homework is a serious task. Encourage taking breaks. Children are likely to be more productive if they take a break after about 20 minutes. Children should not feel overwhelmed while doing homework. Allow children to take breaks, and eventually they will develop their own pace of studying. By Payal Uttum