School begins in our area in just a few short weeks. Has your teen completed all of their summer homework assignments? If they are anything like my teenagers, they still have books to read, papers to write and math work to complete. I am not a fan of procrastination but you can use this limited time to your advantage. Here are some helpful tips that will reduce stress and get your child focused on completing their summer homework.
Create a schedule: Sit with your teen and pull out a calendar. Look over it together and create a schedule so homework will be the priority and focus. Be realistic with the times, be sure to keep into account all other activities your child may have on their schedule. Once you set the homework times, be sure to put them on your digital calendars and set reminder alarms as well. These constant reminders will help your teen stay on course!
Set Small Goals: Often times summer homework is quite stressful and overwhelming for teenagers and they are not sure where to begin which is why procrastination occurs in the first place. Break down the assignments with your teen and create small goals. For example, have them read the first half of the book by Tuesday and they can do a summary on the first half of the book. Breaking down the assignment in smaller goals, makes it less intimidating for them, and minimizes the stress.
Remove Distractions: There are many things that can be a distraction for our teen. Some teens can focus independently while other teens can not. If your teen struggles with outside distractions such as their phones, video games or tv, remove them from your teen for some time. It’s ok to take away the screens so they can focus on their work. Some kids need that in order to focus on their work. Have a discussion with your teenager and ask them what distracts them the most, you may be surprised at what they tell you.
Adjust Sleep Time: We need adequate sleep in order to be focused and to be able to sustain attention. Teens definitely need enough sleep in order to stay focused on their summer homework. However, their summer sleep patterns may not be optimal for them to sustain attention for long periods of time. Does your teen go to bed super late and wake up sometime after 12? This is an excellent time to begin shifting their sleep patterns. Start off slow and encourage them to go to bed an hour earlier, set an alarm so they can wake an hour earlier too. This shift in sleep will give them the energy and focus they need to complete their summer homework.
Try one or all of these tips. See what works best for your teen. Keep the lines of communication open and help support your teen to finish their summer homework with less stress! Let us know what works for your teen, we would love to hear from you.
If your teen needs more support with completing their summer homework, our tutors can help!