Q: What do I do when my child throws tantrums about homework?

Homework time may become World War III in your home each night, but it does not have to be the disastrous blow-out it may tend to be. Oftentimes, children are resistant to homework because they find it boring, frustrating or they are easily distracted come homework time. Here are some tips to help calm homework warfare:

• Schedule your evenings.

The key to making homework part of a regular routine is to follow, well, a regular routine. Set up a schedule that works for your family that covers homework, supper, free time and bedtime. Most advice is going to warn against free time before homework, but a little one-on-one time with your child may be beneficial to resetting their systems after a long day at school. Do an activity together or play a game. Be sure to allow some downtime for your child before they get ready for bed.

• Give one-on-one attention when helping.

You may be concerned with getting supper ready or finishing the laundry while your child struggles through their homework and may try to multitask by helping from afar. This may cause more frustration for your child. If they are having trouble with their homework, sit down with them to offer your help and support.

• Recognize their feelings.

Homework can be tough and it is important to let your child know that you understand how they feel. A simple, “I know this is really tough, but I’m going to help you through it,” can go a long way.

• Homework time is quiet time.

If there are other family members that do not have homework to complete, it is important that they engage in quiet and non-distracting activities. This means keeping the TV, video games and computers off until homework time is over.

• Create a token economy.

Children love to work for rewards and creating a visual system in which to do so may be the motivation your child needs to do their homework without a tantrum. Begin by asking your child what reward they would like to work for. If it is something big, perhaps they need to complete three evenings of homework with no incidence. If it is something small, one night of calm homework completion may suffice. You can use a chart to track their progress toward a reward.