Homework time
Creating the right environment and getting assistance from technology go a long way
Special for USA TODAY
“Is your homework done?” The old parental cry is like Kryptonite to kids. And claims of “I’m doing it all right now!” shouted from behind the bedroom door are like nails on a chalkboard to parents.
So how can you cut down on the homework drama? Let a few smart tech tools come to the rescue.
SET UP A DEDICATED SPACE
First, you need to decide where your kid should tackle school assignments. The Edge Desk hit a home run on Kickstarter. It’s one compact piece of furniture that transforms into whatever you need — a sit-down desk, a chair, a standing desk or even an artfriendly easel. It’s like a Murphy bed made for productivity, and it tucks away in an instant.
Before we bought the Edge Desk, my daughter used a sideboard/buffet-type table next to our dining room table. It’s the perfect height for her to use as a standing desk (which she loves after sitting all day). When we wanted to do homework together, we just migrated to the dining room table. The point is to have a cleared-out space designated for homework — not in a bedroom.
STOCK IT UP
Once you have an actual space set up, you need the right tools for the job. There’s nothing worse than having a motivated kid ready to master some math problems and then realizing your last pencil just went through the washing machine. Stock up on pencils, pens, a sharpener, glue and a stapler, and you’ll never have to delay a homework session to run to the office supply store.
NO DISTRACTIONS
The hardest part of all will probably be getting your child to focus. That smartphone glued to their forehead isn’t doing them any favors, so make a rule to keep their phone out of sight when it’s time for school work. But what about when they need to confer with classmates on projects via text or video chat? Try an app like unGlue to make sure they have access to what they need without the distraction of all those Snapchat streaks and YouTube videos.
Some routers also let you block certain sites, like Netflix, while keeping streams open for learning portals.
INVEST IN THE RIGHT TOOLS
Of course, gadgets aren’t all bad when it comes to education. Because so much studying, writing, practice and reading happens on the same screen these days, it pays to invest wisely in one that you can all depend on — whether a laptop, Chromebook or tablet.
The Huawei Matebook X does all the work of a tablet and a notebook in one solid laptop that’s incredibly slim and light. It doesn’t take up much room, and its 7thgeneration
Intel processor has the power to handle any school-related task.
Whatever you’re using, make sure your security software is up to date. Double-check passwords, too. You will need to be privy to those of your kids, for their own safety. And make sure you’re backing up data.
NOISE, NOTES
Throw in a pair of decent earplugs if your child is easily distracted. I swear by the DUBS noise-canceling reusable ones. My daughter swears by listening to music to help her concentrate and keep her energy up, so a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or earbuds can help, too.
Add a great note-taking app that syncs across all their devices — Microsoft’s OneNote and the incredibly popular Evernote are both great for this.
SET TIME LIMITS
As tempting as it can be just to tell your student to hammer through their work and have fun later, overwhelming them is a recipe for disaster. I often help my daughter create a schedule, and we use a timer to break up studying. Try a half-hour of studying, then a 10-minute break.
The National Education Association and the National PTA endorse the “10-minute rule” — 10 minutes of homework per student, per grade level, so a fifthgrader might have 50 minutes. (Quick reality check, though: My 11th-grader has four to six hours of homework at least five nights a week.)
CREATE GOOD HABITS EARLY
Don’t leave the little ones out. Even preschoolers can benefit from a bit of school-minded thinking in the evenings, and just a few minutes at an early age can go a long way. I like LeapFrog Academy. It’s built for ages 3-6.
FEED BODY AND MIND
Make sure your studying student isn’t trying to slog through math problems with a grumbling stomach. If you need a little help on that front, I recommend Graze. It’s a subscription service that delivers healthy, interesting snacks right to your door, all perfectly portioned and ready to eat, and saves you a trip to the store.