Your Child’s Health
How can you support your child’s mental and physical health around homework?
Excessive or stressful homework has shown to have significant impacts on the health of children of all ages. If you have a Kindergartener or a junior in high school at home, it is important to understand the impact that homework can have on their health. Having the tools to advocate for your child with their teacher and place guardrails around the activity of homework can have a positive effect on your child’s health.
Sleep On It
You know your child best, and most parents agree that their child needs sleep to properly function.Excessive homework and stress around homework can interrupt this vital time. Studies have shown a clear correlation with excessive homework and sleep disruption, especially in older students.
Younger students should have no more than 1 hour a night of homework, older students no more than 2 hours.
Encourage breaks if it becomes too stressful for your child.
Advocate for less homework for your child if homework exceeds comfort level or recommended time frames.
Know how much sleep your child needs, if this is becoming disrupted by homework, regardless of other factors, advocate for less or no homework for your child.
Physical Health
Students in studies reported homework taking a significant physical toll. Students reported headaches, trouble concentrating, and emotional distress after sessions with homework. Excessive homework can also crowd out physical exercise, which is important for everyone.
Make sure your child has time for physical activity, family connection in a relaxed atmosphere, and free play. Free time for play and physical activities are important for older children as well as younger ones.
Make sure your child is not experiencing negative physical symptoms of homework by:
Checking in frequently, asking how your child is feeling
Giving breaks or ending homework time when stress is evident
Maintaining a relaxed attitude about homework at home, avoiding threats, bribes and punishment around homework
Make sure homework is not crowding out other physical activities
Family Dynamics
Homework is inarguably a source of much strife in many homes. Parents in studies about homework report feeling guilt or feelings of failure around not being able to help their children with homework the way they want to. Parents in studies of children of all ages described homework time as emotionally charged, with everyone in the family unit feeling a high level of stress around homework time.
Homework can have a negative effect on the mental health of everyone in the family, not just the student.
If you feel that homework is taking a negative toll on your family, you can take these steps:
Reach out to your child’s teacher for more clarity and flexibility about homework.
Ask for homework that is more open-ended if your child’s homework contains too many guidelines around completion.
Only offer your child assistance with homework when they request help. Overbearing help or micromanaging can increase stress for all participants. It is okay for your child to make errors in homework.
Ask open-ended questions about your child’s homework instead of making demands or threats around the work.
Remember above all that it is okay to not complete homework, prioritize your family’s mental health. Communicate with your child’s teacher about your family’s priorities.
