Ideally, homework is hassle-free. Your child sits down and does her assignments without any whining, bribing, fighting, begging, or crying. Sound impossible? It can be done, especially with the right help from you. Here’s how to help make homework a no-brainer. 

--Develop a routine. Kids crave consistency, so make doing homework automatic by coming up with a routine that fits their personalities. Serious students may prefer to do homework right after school. Other kids may need to burn off steam by playing for half an hour (set a timer) before getting down to business. Whatever formula you choose, stick to it as much as possible.

You might need two homework routines—one for when your child comes right home from school, and another for when she has after-school activities. Cut distractions by keeping the TV off during homework time. If you have more than one child, have them do their homework at the same time. One bonus: They may motivate and even help each other.

--Emphasize effort. “Your job as a parent is to teach your child that if she tries hard, she will learn things,” says Helen Eckmann, Ed.D., co-author of “Simple Principles to Excel at School,” (WS Publishing
Group, 2008). So praise your kids when they complete their homework by saying, “Oh, look how hard you worked!” not “You’re so smart!” Overall, effort is what pays off, not self-confidence, brainpower, or any other innate quality.

--Stay a step ahead. Take your job as ad-hoc teacher seriously. Resources such as the Core Knowledge Series--which starts with “What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know,” edited by E.D. Hirsch Jr. (about $15) and covers up to the sixth grade--can help you brush up on the skills you’ll need to follow your child’s academic curriculum.

Knowing what’s down the road also helps you work activities into your child’s day that use the concepts she’ll need to know, such as counting change (at the checkout) or fractions (think baking). By the time the subject is covered in school, your child will already be familiar with it.

Also see our reports on backpacks for kids and 'learning' toys, for more information.