“The first law of homework that parents should know is that children do not like to do homework,” said Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller, authors of How to Motivate Your Kids to Do Homework. “So give up your desire to have them like it. Instead, focus on getting them to do it.”

It may be in school or in Kumon, having children do homework is challenging. Thus, you can’t help but ask, “Why does my child have to do Kumon homework?”

To answer, Kumon underscores the importance of daily study in order to breed good study habits. By answering Kumon worksheets everyday, discipline is developed, a sense of responsibility is instilled, and independent study is practiced.

Here are some tips you could try to get your child to do and complete his homework:

Do not let your child cram.

Specific worksheets are assigned per day and your child should follow this; that is, answering all his worksheets in one single day. If he is unable to do his homework, simply move the dates. (e.g. If your child missed his May 1 and 2 homework, have the child answer his May 1 homework on May 3 and his May 2 homework on May 4.)

Establish a routine to follow with your child.

For example, you can have your child do his Kumon homework after he finishes dinner or after he finishes his first schoolwork for the day. Talk to your child and determine the best time for him to do his worksheets.

Have a specific place for your child to do his assignments—away from distractions.

You could also decorate this space with his perfect worksheets and other awards that could motivate him to achieve even more.

Be involved in your child’s homework.

Show the child that completing his homework means something to you. Parents are always their child’s role models and if he thinks that you don’t care about his homework, then he will start to behave that way as well. When he shows that he has finished his homework, get excited about how quickly he did it and, after flipping through the pages, praise him for getting the answers right. Highlight positive behavior, and encourage him to repeat it on his next homework.

Observe him closely, while he is doing his homework.

While your child is answering his worksheets, discreetly observe him from time to time to show your interest – but without distracting him. Also, keep a watchful eye on his hand movements. Working quickly, smoothly, and without pause is essential for demonstrating his mastery of the topic. Otherwise, this could signify that your child is distracted or is struggling to answer his worksheets.

Communicate with your child’s Kumon Instructor.

You can ask for information from your child’s Instructor about your child’s daily progress and relate that to your child. “Your teacher said that yesterday you did all your work very quickly without becoming fidgety! I’m so proud of you!  Do your homework that way today, okay?”

These are just some tips to help your child with his Kumon homework. We hope that you will slowly notice the start of a great change in your child’s attitude toward homework!