Involved parents make a big, positive difference in children’s education. If you want to make homework work for your family, here are some ideas from MVParents.com of what you can do, organized by age.

For parents with children ages 6 – 9

• Establish a consistent homework routine at a time that works for your family; stick with it as often as possible. Make sure lighting is bright and the seating is comfortable. Turn off TVs, radios, MP3 players, phones, organizers, and hand-held electronic games to encourage your children’s concentration. Create a nightly electronics-free zone, and unless children need to use a computer for schoolwork, turn it off.
• Sit near your children when they’re doing homework, and do work of your own: write a letter, pay bills, balance your checkbook, or read work-related material. Continue this routine as children grow older.
• Keep all commonly used school supplies in one place, including markers, crayons, pencils, paper, stapler, tape, glue sticks, scissors, and a dictionary. Buy several sheets of posterboard at a time and keep them on hand for periodic school projects. Kids enjoy choosing a variety of poster colors.
• Encourage children who participate in after-school childcare programs to do at least some of their homework there so that you have more family time in the evenings.