My oldest son is 5 years old and just started kindergarten this year. He is now coming home with a small amount of homework to do, but he fights me every step of the way. It has been very frustrating. He cries. He acts like he doesn’t know what to do. And even after I walk him through it, he still sits there whining.
So, as a mom, I am thinking,“Oh my goodness, if this is starting ALREADY… then what will it be like when he gets older???” HELP!” LOL
I have tried several different strategies over these past few weeks:
1. Getting it over with as soon as he gets home. He doesn’t respond well to this, because he is pretty worn out from being at school all day.
2. Doing it after dinner. I have tried to do his homework after dinner is all done and everything has been cleaned up. I even offer a reward. But to be honest with you, he doesn’t eat very well and I wind up trying to reward him for eating too, so once that is over – he could care less about being rewarded for homework. And after eating, he just wants to play with his sister.
3. In the morning before school. This actually works the best. He is much more willing to do the work in the morning, but it is hard for me because of everything else that goes on in the morning. I have a really hard time stopping what I am doing to sit down with him and do homework.
So, you can see my dilemma. My husband and I have both gotten frustrated. We have even punished him, but he will just sit in his room and cry and nothing really gets resolved. He just gets more tired in the end and we wind up giving up.
I really want to be consistent. I want to have a plan that will work for all of us without having to put up with a huge fight every afternoon and evening. I mean should I just get over the morning thing and let him do his homework then? What would you do? What strategies have worked for you, especially when they are so young.
And of course, you know I had to find a funny homework cartoon. I thought this one was great. 
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I am no fan of kindergarten homework, and I tell you why on my site (check out the Kindergarten Homework page). I really suggest that you give your son the Homework Personality Test so that you can best support his learning style. You are already doing a great thing by letting him come home, relax, etc and then do his homework in the morning. If you and your husband can figure out a way to make that work (i.e. prepare breakfast and pick out clothes the night before) it will totally be worth it. Remember, you want your son to LOVE homework, school, learning (okay, so maybe he won’t LOVE homework!). Good luck!
.-= Angela Norton Tyler/ Family Homework Answers´s last blog ..Sep 19, I Hate Reading Logs, Too! =-.
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I don’t like homework in Kindergarten. We had reading over the weekend, but that was it. It seems silly to force a 5 year old to do homework everyday. But, each school is different I guess.
Home work is a constant battle with my now 12 year old. He has gotten better, but has never liked homework. We started setting a time, long after school was out but before dinner. We would start getting dinner ready, and he would sit at the kitchen table working. Once dinner was done, he normally was too. We made it a game, who can get done first. He would win, but it made it fun again for him.
It is a battle, one that stresses parents out more than the kids. I hope you find some ease, and a way to make it work for your family.
.-= Kellyn´s last blog ..Try This – Comfort Foods =-.
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My son is a college freshman but I do remember insisting that he get his hw done early. It was a chore and definitely not his default setting as now he can’t seem to help doing it right up to literally one minute before it is due.
Guess his personality has a lot to do with it. He seems to get a rush living on the edge. Oh dear.
Didn’t know about that quiz then.
.-= Daille´s last blog ..MadMen is Sexy =-.
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