Homework

Christine's story about the epic homework battle they had at their house the first week of school was a great spring board for all of us when we started talking about one of our greatest frustrations with our kids. Maybe we should get together and start a school where there is no homework, like we discussed. Since that isn't an option. I thought I would review some of the ideas of Love and Logic for for us regarding homework.

Starting off, remember the basic rules of Love and Logic.

1. Adults must set firm, loving limits using enforceable statements without showing anger, lecturing, or using threats.
2. When a child causes a problem, the adult shows empathy through sadness and sorrow and then lovingly hands the problem and its consequences back to the child.

The way I see it, the biggest thing to remember is that our kid's homework is their problem. We can't make them do it, we can just let them experience the consequences of not doing it. Our job is to provide them with the opportunity to do their homework. 

I appreciate that Foster Cline says that there is nothing wrong with parents helping their kids with their homework. We should only do that if they ask for it, and as long as it is profitable. He says when we start to become irritated, we have helped enough.  

I think applying the rule of not working any harder than your child is works well for homework. We need to make sure that our kids homework is their problem. Love and Logic teaches that if we worry about something, our kids won't need to. We need to let the worry for homework rest where it belongs, on the student.