How to Increase Focus & Get Your Child to do Their Schoolwork
Inside: Learn how to get your child to do their schoolwork with these helpful ideas. Free printable included.
Crossed arms, a furrowed brow, and lips in full pout signal I’m preparing to battle over schoolwork. With a stomp of her foot, my seven-year-old grumpily declares, “schoolwork is boring.”
I get it. The lure of toys, screen time, and pestering your brother can feel much more interesting than answering comprehension questions. And why should you have to solve the answer for 6+4 again when you just did it yesterday?
When I am met with a child who is trying to avoid schoolwork, I have two options. I can coerce or bribe them to do their work, OR I can put the magic back into our school day.
Over the years, I have stockpiled a few tips and tricks for putting the magic into our school day and inviting cooperation and focus instead of defiance and tears.
How to Increase Cooperation & Focus with an Inviting Learning Space
Create a Magical Space
More than once I have crept into my kid’s room at night to turn off the flashlight and place their book on the nightstand. Something magical happens when you read at night under the cover of a sheet with only the focused light of a flashlight.
Bringing that magic into your homeschool day turns defiance into eagerness.
You can create a magical learning space by:
- Building a fort
- Lighting scented candles (cinnamon and peppermint scents help with concentration)
- Hanging white fairy lights
- Piling pillows in a corner to lay on
- Taking school outside
- Letting them use a flashlight (for hands-free use headlamps)
- Playing classical music
Make it Special
Everybody has those subjects they don’t love. I find Algebra II goes much better if there’s a tray of cookies or a favorite snack available.
Look for ways to ease the dislike of less favorite subjects. Making trouble subjects special creates an incentive for your child to complete their assignments.
Make Trouble Subjects Special by:
- Having a small tray of cookies (or another special treat) available
- Massage their shoulders or rub their back while they work
- Designate a special pen or pencil for the subject
- Decorate the front of the notebook or buy a “fancy” notebook to be used
Celebrate Your Child
You know the old saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”? Well, your child will be more cooperative when you remember to praise their efforts.
It doesn’t need to be overly enthusiastic. A simple, “I’m proud of you for doing your writing today without complaining,” will go far for future cooperation. Putting in the effort to recognize those times your child is trying will also help them adopt a growth mindset.
Be free with your praise and encouragement.
Words of Positive Affirmation to Celebrate Your Child:
Encourage Movement to Improve Concentration and Cooperation
Reciting math facts while jumping rope is much more enticing than rote recitation. How many correct answers can they get while continuously jumping? Can they cross the rope in front of them and still answer correctly?
Where ever possible look for ways to incorporate movement into your school day.
Kids naturally fidget. Not only does movement turn on the brain, but it gives kids an outlet for their energy. A child will look forward to a subject more if it is tied to an activity they enjoy as opposed to being forced to “sit still and concentrate.”
Movement can help concentration. It can also draw in the reluctant learner.
Ideas to Encourage Movement:
- Allow kids to sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair
- Do jumping jacks (burpees or push-ups also work) after a group of problems
- Have them stand at a table instead of sit
- Trampolines, jump rope, and hopscotch are all great for memorizing facts or giving answers to questions
- Have them write the answer (for example, to a spelling test), wad it up and throw it in an empty trash can. Give one point for the correct answer and one point for the basket.
- Play catch answering a question every time they catch the ball
Know When to Fold ’em
Sometimes kids wake up with a scowl on their face and a grumpy disposition. On these days, no amount of magic is going to impress a child determined to be onery. When you can’t turn the day around and invite cooperation without bringing discord to your family, then a day off may be necessary.
In our homeschool, I give my kids an allotted number of “do nothing” days. These would probably be similar to mental health days in the work space. They are allowed to choose when to use them, and I factor them into our school year. Everyone else still has schoolwork on these days, but that child may take a day off.
Once their days are used up, that’s it.
Remember the Magic to Get Your Child to do Their Schoolwork
Getting your child to do their schoolwork doesn’t need to be a battle of wills. It may take some effort, but putting a little magic into your school day is worth all the frustrated tears it saves.
