Episode 003: The Four Homework Personalities
While researching my book Drama Free Homework: A Parent’s Guide To Eliminating Homework Battles and Raising Focused Kids, I talked with lots of moms who were doing EVERYTHING – but since their child was still struggling, they considered themselves failures.
As they described the struggle at home, I noticed that four distinct “homework personalities” kept reappearing.
Do you recognize any of them in your house?
The Quick Quitter
This is the kid who quits every time they can’t answer a problem in 5 second or less. We, as parents, often come to the rescue for this kid, but we need them to know that we
believe they can solve it themselves.
Try this strategy:
- Leave the room, so you don’t solve the problem for your child and allow them the space to work on it themselves.
- Help them find facts in a problem or ask them questions where they might find the information. This shows them how to use the problem solving steps we know that they know.
- Skip the problem – have your kid ask their teacher for help understanding the problem.
The Perfectionist
This is the kid who always wants to be perfect and anything less just feels unacceptable to them.
Try this strategy:
1. Teach your child about growth mindset. How we are always learning and can continue to learn new things.
The Emotionally Overloaded Kid
This kid may have tantrums often when they can’t figure out a problem or may just completely shut down.
Try this:
- Give yourself a break – Give your kids an active break.
- It’s OK to quit for the day. This builds self-regulation and helps your child identify. when they are at their “breaking point”.
- Chunk the work.
- Give kids complete control of their work environment. Allow them to decide when and where they will complete their work.
The Oblivious Dreamer
This kid doesn’t care if they miss assignments. In fact, nothing seems to motivate them!
Try this:
- Give them choices! Allow them to choose where to do the work and even choose the reward. They are the best people to know what will motivate them.
- Try the Make Homework Fun pack, it’s free… get it and have your child do it to choose their reward!
Resources:
The Homework Personalities Quiz.
Download the Make Homework Fun Challenge
Get the book: Drama Free Homework: A Parent’s Guide To Eliminating Homework Battles and Raising Focused Kids
Transcript:
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JoAnn Crohn
CEO/Founder at No Guilt Mom
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