How to Help Your Children With Their Homework Even if You Don’t understand It

Mom gives her daughter a high five while helping with homework at the kitchen table.
It is possible to help your child accomplish the homework even if you are not well-versed in the subject.(Image: Fizkes via Dreamtime)

Many parents have to cope with helping their children accomplish many tasks, including homework. However, in some situations, you may be unable to fathom how to help them with their homework.

This can be due to many reasons. Maybe you have not dealt with topics taught to your child. Some parents remain so busy with their jobs and chores that they hardly have any time to look after their children’s homework. So when their child approaches them to help with their homework, they find it hard. However, the good thing is it is possible to help your child accomplish their homework even if you are not well-versed in the subject.

Tips that you can use to aid your children in working on their homework: 

  • The first thing you can do is not to get into panic mode. Before reacting, you must tell yourself it is normal not to understand everything related to your children’s homework. Being calm and logical will only make the process simpler for you. 
  • The timing is also essential. When you return from the workplace and feel fatigued, you first need to relax followed by some food. Do not delve into the homework stuff right away. Once you are ready, you can look at your child’s homework. That will make it easier to tackle.
A mother helps her daughter with homework using a digital tablet while sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of orange juice.
Once you are ready, you can look at your child’s homework. That will make it easier to tackle. (Image: Monkey Business via Dreamstime)
  • Ensure the ambiance is correct when you try to help your child with homework. Eliminate sources of distractions such as TV and mobile phones for the time being. Calmness is a must to let your mind function properly.
  • Before you decide to help your child complete their homework, it is necessary to check if the effort is there or not. While not every child will not do it, sometimes they may feel like approaching the parents if the subject is a tad tougher than usual. Do not encourage this habit. Let your child try to answer or solve the topics at first. Step in only if you genuinely feel it is too harsh for their age and level of intellect.
  • If you find the homework that your child has stumbled upon is indeed too harsh, you may proceed to help them. There are many ways for you to do so. First, check out the study books and class notes of your child. This will help you in finding samples and similar questions. In addition, this may give you an idea regarding how to approach the particular topic or problem the child has got stuck upon. 
Boy using a mobile phone.
Eliminate sources of distractions such as TV and mobile phones for the time being. Calmness is a must to let your mind function properly.(Image: Prudencio Alvarez via Dreamstime)

Explore the alternative avenues if scouting through your child’s books and class notes does not work. The web is a great resource for ideas. Check out the online resources to find answers and explanations on the topic. You will likely find several free resources on subjects taught at the school. If you are willing to pay, there are paid online resources too.

You may be unable to find resources on the home assignments of your child at times. In that case, you may ask someone in your friend or work circle who help their children with similar needs. They may be able to guide you in this regard. If this fails to yield results, the only option is to ask the teacher who gave the assignment. This should be tried as a last resort, though. 

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