set up a routine for homework

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How to Make a Better Homework Schedule for Your Family

Verywell / Zackary Angeline

Why Homework Schedules Are Effective

• Developing a Schedule

Other Considerations

Do you frequently have homework struggles with your child or teen? Or, does your student procrastinate doing their work? Maybe they even fail to turn in assignments. If any of these scenarios resonate with you, a better homework schedule may help.

A regular homework schedule establishes predictable times when homework is to be completed. Once the homework schedule has been in place for a few weeks, you may even find your child will begin doing their homework without needing to be reminded—although you may still need to monitor their work progress.

If you're struggling with homework completion in your household, or if you're having daily battles about allotting the appropriate amount of time to homework, you're not alone. That's why educators recommend developing a homework schedule—with input from your kids.

Once you set a homework schedule, then there are no questions about when the work will be done. It also communicates clear expectations; having a homework schedule helps kids understand what is required of them. And following the schedule encourages them to develop a good work ethic.

Schedules also help prevent procrastination and instill good habits like completing work on time. Homework routines also improve study skills and encourage kids to plan ahead.

Other benefits include developing your child's work ethic and organizational abilities. By helping your child complete their work at regular intervals, you are modeling how to manage time and projects in the future. When you send them off to college , they will know how to pace their work so they can avoid all-nighters at the end of the semester.

How to Develop a Homework Schedule

To develop a homework schedule, start by talking with your kids. Get their input on how they would like to manage their time and incorporate their homework into their daily routine. A successful homework schedule allows kids to finish their work and also have some free time.

Give Kids an Option

If you ask kids when they want to do their homework, their first answer might be "Never" or "Later." But if you dig a little deeper, your child may tell you what matters to them as they plan their schedule. This information will help you avoid scheduling homework during their favorite television program or when they usually get online to play games with friends.

When you include your child in the decision-making process, you also will get more buy-in from them because they know that their concerns were heard. You don't have to give them their way, but at least considering what they have to say will let them feel included. After all, this homework schedule is about them completing their homework.

Allow for Free Time

Some kids can step through the front door and buckle down on their homework right away. When this happens, they reap the reward of getting their work done early and having the rest of the evening to do what they want. But most kids need to eat and decompress a bit before tackling their assignments.

As you develop your homework schedule, keep in mind your child has already spent at least six hours in class. And this time doesn't include getting to and from school or participation in extracurricular programs . Allow kids some free time before beginning their homework if that's what they need to unwind.

Establish a Timeline

Generally, you can expect about 10 minutes of homework per grade level of school. This means that a third-grade student will need about 30 minutes to complete homework. However, the amount of time needed can vary dramatically between students, teachers, and schools.

Find out how much time your child's teacher expects homework to take each evening. If your child takes a lot of time to complete their work or struggles with homework , talk with the teacher. Your child may need extra instruction on a task or tutoring assistance—or fewer homework assignments.

Pick a Homework Spot

Designate a comfortable and efficient spot for your kids to do their homework. This workspace should be well-lit, stocked with supplies , and quiet. The workspace should allow you to provide some supervision. 

If you have multiple kids trying to complete their homework at one time, you may want to find a separate location for each child. Sometimes kids can complete their homework together at the kitchen table, but other times having siblings around can be distracting. Do what works best for your family.

Put It All Together

Now that you know what your child's needs and concerns are for finding a time to do homework, you need to come up with the actual plan. Creating a homework routine is really just one piece of creating a daily school year routine .

For the homework time itself, get it down on paper so you can see exactly what they will be doing and when they will be doing it. Do this for each day of the week if you have different activities on different weekdays. Students who are assigned larger projects will need to review their homework plans regularly to make adjustments as needed.

Expect your child to work consistently throughout the assigned time. Avoid having multiple homework sessions, such as one before dinner and a second one after dinner. Starting and stopping may mean children may spend more time getting into what they are doing than working continuously.

Be Consistent

Once you have decided on a time to do homework, stick to the plan! It usually takes about three weeks for most children to really get into the habit of their new schedule.

If your child or teen has difficulty maintaining concentration for the length of time that their homework should take, then you may want to carefully consider breaking up the work to take advantage of the time when your child can focus.

This added step is especially important for children and teens with depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They may benefit from multiple smaller work sessions and more frequent breaks.

Even though the idea behind creating a homework schedule is to get your child to work consistently and independently, you may need to look over their work when they are done. This is especially important for younger children.

Make sure they understand their assignments and that they completed a reasonable amount of work during the homework session. If you find your child is having trouble actually working during their homework time, troubleshoot to find out what might be the issue. Sometimes kids need extra help and other times they simply need more motivation to get their work done.

If you find that your child continues to struggle with homework even with a schedule in place, you might need to dig a little deeper. Consider discussing your child's issues with their teacher or pediatrician.

Sometimes kids are reluctant to complete their homework because of undiagnosed learning disabilities. It could be that your child struggles with reading comprehension or has a processing disorder. Or it could be that your child is struggling with a mental health issue like anxiety .

A Word From Verywell

Establishing a homework schedule allows children to build some important life skills that will help them as they navigate high school, college, and eventually the workforce. Practice is important when kids are learning new skills. So, having a nightly homework routine enhances your child's learning. Just be sure you aren't requiring homework time at the expense of being a kid. Having time to play is just as important to a child's development as learning new material.

National Institute of Mental Health. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .

By Lisa Linnell-Olsen Lisa Linnell-Olsen has worked as a support staff educator, and is well-versed in issues of education policy and parenting issues.

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How to Plan a Homework Schedule

Last Updated: April 26, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Ronitte Libedinsky, MS . Ronitte Libedinsky is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Brighter Minds SF, a San Francisco, California based company that provides one-on-one and small group tutoring. Specializing in tutoring mathematics (pre-algebra, algebra I/II, geometry, pre-calculus, calculus) and science (chemistry, biology), Ronitte has over 10 years of experience tutoring to middle school, high school, and college students. She also tutors in SSAT, Terra Nova, HSPT, SAT, and ACT test prep. Ronitte holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS in Chemistry from Tel Aviv University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 89% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 477,426 times.

It feels like homework never stops getting piled on, and keeping track of it all can feel a little chaotic. That’s where a homework schedule comes in. With a good schedule, you won’t have to worry about missing homework assignments or not having enough time to finish them, and it’s surprisingly easy to put one together. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry—we’ll walk you through what to do step-by-step below!

Setting Up a Homework Schedule

Creating a Homework Space

Understanding What Needs To Get Done

• The subject or course in which the work is assigned (for example, Spanish , algebra , French or English )
• Know what you're expected to hand in or do and ask if you do not understand (for example, turn in an essay , develop a PowerPoint presentation, or take a test.)
• The details of your assignments (for example, double-spaced or single-spaced, blue ink or black).
• Page numbers (which pages you need to read, study, or refer to complete your assignment.)
• Due date of the assignment.

Getting All of Your Homework Done

• To solve this problem, if you cannot meet all the deadlines, use a static priority rate-monotonic policy. Find the course that releases new homework the most frequently, and list it the highest (do the work first), and so forth. This is mathematically optimal among all static-priority scheduling policies. In other words, if ANY static priority scheme can meet all the deadlines, the rate-monotonic static priority scheme will meet all the deadlines, too. When the static priority scheme misses deadlines, it is deterministic - the lowest priority class assignments will be skipped, so it behaves predictably when you are overloaded. If certain assignments have the same due date, then start with the one(s) that are hardest or will take the longest.

• If you have a five-page English paper due on Friday, evenly spread the total amount of hours you believe it is going to take to complete the paper between each day.

Homework Planner Template

Expert Q&A

• Avoid distractions such as TV, video games, phone conversation, or surfing the internet. You must fully devote your schedule to doing this. That means turning off all electronics except your lamp , clock , and room light, and, if needed, your computer. You may even want to turn off your phone. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Try writing reminders on sticky-notes about your assignment due dates or important information you really need to remember. Put these sticky notes in a place you regularly go to in your house (such as your homework area, bedroom, or closet), so that you'll see them and be reminded.
• If you're having a really hard time concentrating, take a short break (even if it isn't your schedule break time). Even taking a walk outside for ten minutes or grabbing a quick snack from the kitchen can help you reset.
• If music with lyrics distracts you, don't try to listen to it while you do homework. Consider playing white noise or instrumental music instead to help you focus.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.wssd.k12.pa.us/SettingUpaHomeworkSchedule.aspx
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ Ronitte Libedinsky, MS. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 26 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/learning-at-home/homework-study-skills/homework-strategies
• ↑ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/6-proven-ways-to-make-new-habits-stick.html
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-in-world/201203/how-prevent-procrastination

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6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

Assistant Professor of College Learning Strategies and Instruction, Syracuse University

Disclosure statement

Janine L. Nieroda-Madden does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Homework. Whether you’re a fifth-grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something a student dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college – and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success – I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether you’re in elementary school, high school or graduate school.

1. Set priorities

Establish a list of priorities based on the class syllabus or assignment list. This can be helpful for tackling difficult tasks, creating motivation and activating your sense of control and independence when it comes to learning. The priority list helps maintain goals and gives you a sense satisfaction to cross things off the list as they are completed.

2. Tackle difficult tasks first

Start with your most difficult assignments first in order to make the most of your energy level and to focus at the beginning of a work session. You can attend to the easier or less time-consuming assignments at the end of a work session.

3. Break tasks down to smaller steps

You may not know how to start a major task, which could trigger procrastination or feelings of defeat. To guard against this, break major tasks into three or four smaller steps. Within one homework session, you can feel a greater sense of accomplishment by completing each small step toward the larger whole. In some cases, you might be able to spread these tasks over the course of a week.

4. Create evidence of learning

You will get more out of the time you spend reading, reviewing notes or otherwise “studying” if you create something in the process. For example, creating flash cards, a graphic organizer, chart, or notes with bullet points can help you become an active learner rather than a passive one. Organize the tools you create with the homework assignment by date and topic so that you can review those items to prepare for quizzes, tests or projects.

5. Build a network of support

If certain homework problems could not be solved and you’re stuck in a rut, figure out what’s confusing you and write or record your thoughts. Jot questions down and be as specific as possible in order to seek out additional support from teachers or tutors. The more you can identify sources of confusion, the more you can proactively reach out to your support network – teachers, tutors and others – in order to get additional help.

6. Revisit goals and set new ones

At the start of each homework session, establish goals for completion of your tasks or assignments. Revisit the goals at the end of the session and acknowledge a sense of completion. This goal-setting process builds confidence over time and helps you realize their potential even when faced with difficulties. A productive homework routine will help you realize that learning is an ongoing journey. The journey may be difficult but getting organized will make it as stress-free as possible.

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Strategies to make homework go more smoothly.

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

Writer: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Clinical Expert: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we’ve seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org . Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us.

There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles. The first is to establish clear routines around homework, including when and where homework gets done and setting up daily schedules for homework. The second is to build in rewards or incentives to use with children for whom “good grades” is not a sufficient reward for doing homework.

Homework Routines

Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order your child can apply to later life, including college and work.

Step 1. Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your child and the culture of your family. Some children do best at a desk in their bedroom. It is a quiet location, away from the hubbub of family noise. Other children become too distracted by the things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table. Some children need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location.

Step 2. Set up a homework center. Once you and your child have identified a location, fix it up as a home office/homework center. Make sure there is a clear workspace large enough to set out all the materials necessary for completing assignments. Outfit the homework center with the kinds of supplies your child is most likely to need, such as pencils, pens, colored markers, rulers, scissors, a dictionary and thesaurus, graph paper, construction paper, glue and cellophane tape, lined paper, a calculator, spell checker, and, depending on the age and needs of your child, a computer or laptop. If the homework center is a place that will be used for other things (such as the dining room table), then your child can keep the supplies in a portable crate or bin. If possible, the homework center should include a bulletin board that can hold a monthly calendar on which your child can keep track of longterm assignments. Allowing children some leeway in decorating the homework center can help them feel at home there, but you should be careful that it does not become too cluttered with distracting materials.

Step 3. Establish a homework time. Your child should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending on the individual child. Some children need a break right after school to get some exercise and have a snack. Others need to start homework while they are still in a school mode (i.e., right after school when there is still some momentum left from getting through the day). In general, it may be best to get homework done either before dinner or as early in the evening as the child can tolerate. The later it gets, the more tired the child becomes and the more slowly the homework gets done.

Step 4. Establish a daily homework schedule. In general, at least into middle school, the homework session should begin with your sitting down with your child and drawing up a homework schedule. You should review all the assignments and make sure your child understands them and has all the necessary materials. Ask your child to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment. Then ask when each assignment will get started. If your child needs help with any assignment , then this should be determined at the beginning so that the start times can take into account parent availability. A Daily Homework Planner is included at the end of this handout and contains a place for identifying when breaks may be taken and what rewards may be earned.

Incentive Systems

Many children who are not motivated by the enjoyment of doing homework are motivated by the high grade they hope to earn as a result of doing a quality job. Thus, the grade is an incentive, motivating the child to do homework with care and in a timely manner. For children who are not motivated by grades, parents will need to look for other rewards to help them get through their nightly chores. Incentive systems fall into two categories: simple and elaborate.

Simple incentive systems. The simplest incentive system is reminding the child of a fun activity to do when homework is done. It may be a favorite television show, a chance to spend some time with a video or computer game, talking on the telephone or instant messaging, or playing a game with a parent. This system of withholding fun things until the drudgery is over is sometimes called Grandma’s Law because grandmothers often use it quite effectively (“First take out the trash, then you can have chocolate chip cookies.”). Having something to look forward to can be a powerful incentive to get the hard work done. When parents remind children of this as they sit down at their desks they may be able to spark the engine that drives the child to stick with the work until it is done.

Elaborate incentive systems. These involve more planning and more work on the part of parents but in some cases are necessary to address more significant homework problems. More complex incentives systems might include a structure for earning points that could be used to “purchase” privileges or rewards or a system that provides greater reward for accomplishing more difficult homework tasks. These systems work best when parents and children together develop them. Giving children input gives them a sense of control and ownership, making the system more likely to succeed. We have found that children are generally realistic in setting goals and deciding on rewards and penalties when they are involved in the decision-making process.

Building in breaks. These are good for the child who cannot quite make it to the end without a small reward en route. When creating the daily homework schedule, it may be useful with these children to identify when they will take their breaks. Some children prefer to take breaks at specific time intervals (every 15 minutes), while others do better when the breaks occur after they finish an activity. If you use this approach, you should discuss with your child how long the breaks will last and what will be done during the breaks (get a snack, call a friend, play one level on a video game). The Daily Homework Planner includes sections where breaks and end-of-homework rewards can be identified.

Building in choice. This can be an effective strategy for parents to use with children who resist homework. Choice can be incorporated into both the order in which the child agrees to complete assignments and the schedule they will follow to get the work done. Building in choice not only helps motivate children but can also reduce power struggles between parents and children.

Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1. Describe the problem behaviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about h omework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy.

Step 2. Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: “Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class.”

Step 3. Decide on possible rewards and penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).

Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4. Write a homework contract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents’ roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).

We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Click here to download the homework planner and incentive sheet .

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6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

by: Janine L. Nieroda-Madden | Updated: December 9, 2019

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Homework. Whether you’re a fifth grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something your child dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college — and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success — I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether your child is in elementary school, middle school, high school, or graduate school.

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Tackle difficult tasks first, break tasks down to smaller steps, create evidence of learning, build a network of support, revisit goals and set new ones, homes nearby.

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How to Establish a Great Homework Routine

Are you tired of disorganization when it comes to your child’s homework? Or having to nag your child about when and how they will get their homework done? A great homework routine can put an end to these struggles. Establishing the right homework routine will create good study habits that will help your child from Kindergarten through high school and beyond. Here’s how to set one up!

Establishing a Homework Routine that Works!

1. Schedule Time for Homework

You probably have things in your own life, whether it’s cleaning the house, doing your taxes, or getting together with friends, where if you don’t put it on your schedule it isn’t going to happen.

The same thing is true for homework. If you want to establish a homework routine, you need to plan time for homework on the family calendar.

The ideal situation is for homework to happen at the same time every day. Whether it’s directly after school or after your child has a little time to snack and unwind. It should be part of the daily routine.

If your child has after-school activities that make homework at the same time every day impossible, make sure you still schedule time for homework. And try to at least have a weekly schedule that is consistent regarding homework time.

You’ll want to make sure you allow enough time for homework to be completed. Talk to your child’s teacher about their expectations for time spent on homework to help determine how much time you need.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your child about when they want to do their homework. Discuss with them what they feel is the best time of day for homework. This doesn’t mean they get the final say about timing, but older kids especially may have strong feelings about a time that works for them.

And when you choose a time, consider whether your child needs some food and exercise before they sit down for a long stretch.

2. Choose a Homework Space

Once you have the timing down for your homework routine, you need to consider the location. Do you have a designated homework area with desks and supplies? Or do your kids spread their stuff out on the kitchen table at homework time?

When you decide on the best homework space, you want to consider a few factors. Does your child work better when they are alone and free of distractions? Or do they need you nearby to help them with questions and encourage them to stay on task?

Some kids need background noise, others work best in silence. You may even need to set your kids up in different areas from each other if they have different needs for completing their homework in a stress-free environment.

Try to keep individual needs in mind when you consider the best place in your home for school work. And set your kids up for success.

3. Establish Rules for Homework Time

A great homework routine will include some rules for how that time will be spent. This may include rules about silencing cell phones and putting them away during homework time.

Rules around electronics and other distractions are some of the most important. Sure, your child may need a tablet or computer for their homework sometimes. But other electronics are likely to be an endless source of distraction.

Consider whether you need to set rules and time limits for breaks during homework time. Sure, kids may need to get up and stretch their legs or use the bathroom. But an endless stream of excuses for breaks won’t result in homework being completed.

You may also want to establish some rules around your role in their homework. Will you be checking their work to make sure it’s completed? Or will it be more on the honor system? And your child’s age will be a huge factor here.

A great homework routine should help your child work towards greater independence when it comes to school work as they get older. You can’t go off to college with them. So, as your child gets older, they should become more responsible for completing their homework with minimal reminders and check-ins with mom and dad.

Stick to It!

When you’re trying to establish any new routine, there is going to be some adjustment time. Commit to sticking it out with your homework routine, even if you face some initial resistance. Once the routine becomes a habit, it will be such a part of daily life for your kids that battles over homework will be few and infrequent. And your kids will be on the path to greater self-sufficiency and success with school work.

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8 Elements to a Successful Homework Routine

Setting aside the debate about whether or not homework is beneficial , there’s no doubt that it’s a staple of most kids’ academic routines. And while a missed assignment here or there may seem like no big deal, you might be surprised about how chronic lateness or missed practice can spiral into long-term negative impacts. Kids can quickly find themselves confused, getting bad test grades , and struggling with stress and anxiety in school.

That’s all the more reason to get a solid homework routine in place and make adjustments as needed. 

(Don’t get us wrong: we’re not proposing that kids race through their homework and turn in sloppy, incomplete work. When assigned correctly, homework provides valuable opportunities for practice, and kids should take advantage of those opportunities.) 

Here are eight elements to creating a homework routine that will help kids and teens complete assignments quickly—and well!

1. Build good assignment recording habits 

Yes, the secret to getting homework done quickly and correctly starts before kids finish their school day! 

Think about it. 

If they’re missing key details about assignment instructions or where to find what they need, the homework process automatically gets longer and more frustrating.

So, encourage your student to ask their teacher clarifying questions in class or during the school day. Teachers will often establish clear routines about where homework assignments can be found (posted in the classroom, on their website etc.). Kids should be well-versed in these routines and accustomed to writing them down or recording them as needed. If your student isn’t there yet, it’s a great place to start. 

2. Create a dedicated workspace

Ask your child: where do they do their homework? Is it on the couch with Netflix going in the background, or on the go between other activities?

If that’s the case, that could well be the root of the issue. A focused environment can make all the difference in getting homework done efficiently. Talk with your child about the best environment for giving their homework their undivided attention. 

3. Remove electronic distractions

They deserve their own category because of how frequently they are the true culprits!

As most parents are likely aware, social media, video games, and other online platforms can be a major distraction if they’re within reach during homework time. Make sure they’re removed from where your child is doing their homework: cell phones should remain in a different room, try using websites like Blocksite if internet access is necessary for their homework, and encourage low-tech alternatives (a handheld calculator instead of a cell phone, a textbook instead of a laptop, etc.).

4. Make a schedule and stick to it

Encourage your child to take stock of the night’s assignments and stick to a homework schedule to make sure they’re on track. They may need help at first to estimate how much time each assignment might take, and support from you can go a long way here! 

It also helps to jot down this schedule somewhere to have a visual reminder of how things are going. That way, if kids get distracted or are perhaps over-analyzing a homework problem, they can remember the plan.

5. Take time to gather necessary materials

Last-minute scrambling can be a major time suck. And by being proactive, your student can avoid that scramble. Before jumping into their homework, kids should make sure they have everything they need.  

This should factor into the schedule-making phase of doing homework, and once they have everything they require, kids can get started. If you’re concerned that this process might in itself become a distraction for your child, it’s probably a good idea to support and/or supervise this process, at least until kids can navigate it independently. 

6. Plan for overcoming distractions

Changing habits takes time, and expecting perfection can actually hinder progress more than it can help. Especially as kids adjust to their new homework routine, distractions and slip-ups are bound to happen, so it’s best to have a plan in place for that eventuality.

It might be wise to anticipate how kids can respond quickly if they miss an assignment or get sidetracked. Work with them to develop a plan for getting back on track, a habit that will be equally important in building strong homework habits. 

7. Schedule breaks

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could power through our to-do lists without needing to stop and take a breath? Yes, but unfortunately, we’re only human! So, it makes all the sense in the world to schedule breaks into the homework schedule. 

Ideally, these breaks should be quick and planned as part of the schedule your child has created, potentially with your help. Shoot for 5-10 minutes, something kids can easily pick up and put down so they can get back to work.

8. Pick a reward for successful homework completion! 

Positive reinforcement is what keeps good habits going over time. Make sure to praise your child for knocking out their homework in a timely manner. Brainstorm with your child about long and short term rewards, and you’ll be amazed at how they can sustain positive change. 

With all the demands of school today, it’s a game changer to have one less thing to worry about.

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Virginia started with iD Tech at the University of Denver in 2015 and has loved every minute since then! A former teacher by trade, she has a master's in education and loves working to embolden the next generation through STEM. Outside the office, you can usually find her reading a good book, struggling on a yoga mat, or exploring the Rocky Mountains. 

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iD Tech Privacy Policy

Id tech privacy policy publish date: 10/26/2023.

internalDrive, Inc. (“iD Tech”) respects your privacy and recognizes the importance of your personal information. We are committed to protecting your information through our compliance with this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to all individuals who visit and/or use iD Tech/internalDrive, Inc.'s websites, services, and products that collect data and/or display these terms ("iD Sites & Services"). This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect when you visit an iD Tech website, open an account or receive iD Tech Services and our practices for using, maintaining, protecting and disclosing that information. 

All references to "us," "we," or "our" refer to iD Tech/internalDrive, Inc.

All references to "child" or "children" refer to children  under the age of 13.

By accessing or otherwise using any of our iD Sites & Services, you consent to the terms contained in this privacy statement, including the collection, use, and disclosure of data as described below.

California Residents:  iD Tech’s  PRIVACY NOTICE FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS  supplements the information contained in this Privacy Policy and applies solely to visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California.

I.   Information We May Ask You To Provide

Through our iD Sites & Services, we collect information about you and/or your student when you choose to provide it to us. For example, we collect information from you so you can use iD Sites & Services, purchase products and services, register for and obtain an account, request information, apply for a job, register for one of our programs, or verify your age. In general, we may ask you to provide us with the following types of information about you and/your student:

• Contact information such as name, email address, mailing address, phone numbers (note to parents/guardians of children: if we have actual knowledge that a user is under 13 years old, the child will be asked to have their parent or guardian continue the registration process);
• Month, day, and year of birth;
• Gender preference;
• Course interests;
• Billing information such as credit card number and billing address;
• User names to third-party systems (for example, Facebook);
• Information provided on forums or chat rooms within our iD Sites & Services (note to parents/guardians of children: forums and chat rooms permit a child user to enter comments through which the child could provide personal information that would be visible to other users);
• Information included in résumés and job applications; and
• Health, any participation limitations or needs, immunization and allergy information.

Note to Parents/Guardians : We only collect the information described above, from someone we know to be a child, after the child's parent or guardian provides us with verifiable consent, unless one of the limited exceptions discussed below applies. For more information and/or to review these limited exceptions, please see the " Our Commitment to Children’s Privacy " section below. II.   Information Collected Automatically Cookies and other Tracking Technologies We may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, log files, Local Storage Objects, or other technologies to collect certain information about visitors to and users of iD Sites & Services, such as the date and time you visit iD Sites & Services, the areas or pages of iD Sites & Services that you visit, the amount of time you spend viewing or using iD Sites & Services, the number of times you return to iD Sites & Services, other click-stream or usage data, and emails that you open, forward or click through to iD Sites & Services. For example, we may automatically collect certain information, such as the type of web browser and operating system you use, the name of your Internet Service Provider, Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, software version, and the domain name from which you accessed our iD Sites & Services. We use this information to monitor and improve our iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of our iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, verify e-signatures, and for internal analysis.

We may also use cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies from third party partners such as Google for measurement services, better targeting advertisements and for marketing purposes.  These cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies allow us to display our promotional material to you on other sites you visit across the internet.  Our third-party advertising partners may also use these technologies to identify your browsing interests over time and across different websites to deliver targeted advertisements. 

iD Sites & Services do not recognize “Do Not Track” headers or similar mechanisms.

iD Tech partners with Rakuten Advertising, who may collect personal information when you interact with our site. The collection and use of this information is subject to Rakuten’s privacy policy located at  https://rakutenadvertising.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ . Our Sites & Services may also use other third-party plug-ins to provide additional services and benefits. These third parties may collect information about you as well. When we use a third-party plug-in we will attempt to provide you with the identify the plug-in, so you can visit the sites of the third-parties to view the privacy policy under which the information they collect is identified and controlled. 

We may also collect geolocation information from your device so we can customize your experience on our iD Sites & Services. In most cases, you are able to turn off such data collection at any time by accessing the privacy settings of your device and/or through the settings in the applicable GPS application. Social Media You also can engage with our content, and other offerings, on or through social media services or other third-party platforms, such as Facebook, or other third-party social media plug-ins, integrations and applications. When you engage with our content on or through social media services or other third-party platforms, plug-ins, integrations or applications, you may allow us to have access to certain information in your profile. This may include your name, email address, photo, gender, birthday, location, an ID associated with the applicable third-party platform or social media account user files, like photos and videos, your list of friends or connections, people you follow and/or who follow you, or your posts or "likes." For a description on how social media services and other third-party platforms, plug-ins, integrations, or applications handle your information, please refer to their respective privacy policies and terms of use, which may permit you to modify your privacy settings.

When we interact with you through our content on third-party websites, applications, integrations or platforms, we may obtain any information regarding your interaction with that content, such as content you have viewed, and information about advertisements within the content you have been shown or may have clicked on. Information from Third Party Services We may also obtain other information, including personal information, from third parties and combine that with information we collect through our Websites. For example, we may have access to certain information from a third-party social media or authentication service if you log in to our Services through such a service or otherwise provide us with access to information from the service. Any access that we may have to such information from a third-party social media or authentication service is in accordance with the authorization procedures determined by that service. If you authorize us to connect with a third-party service, we will access and store your name, email address(es), current city, profile picture URL, and other personal information that the third party service makes available to us, and use and disclose it in accordance with this Policy. You should check your privacy settings on these third-party services to understand and change the information sent to us through these services. For example, you can log in to the Services using single sign-in services such as Facebook Connect or an Open ID provider.

III.    Your Ability To Control Cookies And Similar Technologies As noted, we may use cookies or similar technologies to monitor and improve iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, support the e-signature process, and/or for internal analysis. This includes the use of third-party cookies. We use these technologies to keep track of how you are using our iD Sites & Services and to remember certain pieces of general information. 

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. Check the “Tools” or “Help” tab on your browser to learn how to change your cookie and other tracking preferences.

If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the functions of iD Sites & Services and/or some of our services will function improperly, in particular the inability to log in or manage items in your shopping cart. We do not share cookie data with any third parties. IV.   How We May Use Your Information We may use the information we collect from and about you and/or your student for any of the following purposes:

• Allow you to register yourself or your student with iD Sites & Services, or to otherwise register and open an account with us;
• Allow you and/or your student to use iD Sites & Services;
• Fulfill orders, process payments, and prevent transactional fraud;
• Respond to your or your student’s requests or inquiries;
• Provide you or your student with information about our products and services;
• Consider you for employment or a volunteer opportunity;
• Register you or your student in one of our programs;
• Verify your student's age;
• Monitor and improve iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, and for internal analysis;
• Protect the security or integrity of iD Sites & Services and our business;
• Facilitate the sale or potential sale of our business or any of our assets; or
• As required by law.

V.   How We Share Information We do not sell or otherwise share your or your student’s information with any third parties, except for the limited purposes described below. Parents/guardians of children under the age of 13 have the option of consenting to the collection and use of their child's personal information without consenting to the disclosure of that information to certain third parties.  

1.   Law Enforcement And Safety

We may access, preserve, and/or disclose the information we collect and/or content you and/or your student/child provides to us (including information posted on our forums) to a law enforcement agency or other third parties if required to do so by law or with a good faith belief that such access, preservation, or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (i) comply with legal process; (ii) enforce the Terms and Conditions of iD Sites & Services; (iii) respond to claims that the content violates the rights of third parties; or (iv) protect the rights, property, or personal safety of the owners or users of iD Sites & Services, a third party, or the general public. We also may disclose information whenever we believe disclosure is necessary to limit our legal liability; to protect or defend our rights or property; or protect the safety, rights, or property of others.  2.   Service Providers; Colleges and Universities Information collected through iD Sites & Services may be transferred, disclosed, or shared with third parties engaged by us to handle and deliver certain activities, such as housing, meals, payment processing, mail/email distribution, software providers, and to perform other technical and processing functions, such as maintaining data integrity, programming operations, user services, or technology services. We may provide these third parties’ information collected as needed to perform their functions, but they are prohibited from using it for other purposes and specifically agree to maintain the confidentiality of such information. Some of these providers, such as payment processors, may request additional information during the course of offering their services. Before you provide additional information to third-party providers, we encourage you to review their privacy policies and information collection practices. 3.    Business Transfer During the normal course of our business, we may sell or purchase assets. If another entity may acquire and/or acquires us or any of our assets, information we have collected about you may be transferred to such entity. In addition, if any bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding is brought by or against us, such information may be considered an asset of ours and may be sold or transferred to third parties. Should a sale or transfer occur, we will use reasonable efforts to try to require that the transferee use personal information provided through our iD Sites & Services in a manner that is consistent with this privacy statement. VI.            Our Commitment To Children’s Privacy Protecting the privacy of children is paramount. We understand that users and visitors of our iD Sites & Services who are under 13 years of age need special safeguards and privacy protection. It is our intent to fully comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). 

Our iD Sites & Services are intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly permit anyone under 13 years of age to provide us with personal information without obtaining a parent's or guardian’s verifiable consent, except where:

• the sole purpose of collecting the name or online contact information of a parent or child is to provide notice and obtain parental consent;
• the purpose of collecting a parent’s online contact information is to provide voluntary notice to, and subsequently update the parent about, the child’s participation in our iD Sites & Services that do not otherwise collect, use, or disclose childrens' personal information;
• the sole purpose of collecting online contact information from a child is to respond directly on a one-time basis to a specific request from the child, and where such information is not used to re-contact the child or for any other purpose, is not disclosed, and is deleted by us promptly after responding to the child’s request;
• the purpose of collecting a child’s and a parent’s online contact information is to respond directly more than once to the child’s specific request, and where such information is not used for any other purpose, disclosed, or combined with any other information collected from the child;
• the purpose of collecting a child’s and a parent’s name and online contact information, is to protect the safety of a child, and where such information is not used or disclosed for any purpose unrelated to the child’s safety;
• we collect a persistent identifier and no other personal information and such identifier is used for the sole purpose of providing support for the internal operations of iD Sites & Services; or
• otherwise permitted or required by law.

If we receive the verifiable consent of a child's parent or guardian to collect, use, and/or disclose the child's information, we will only collect, use, and disclose the information as described in this privacy statement. Some features of our iD Sites & Services permit a child user to enter comments, such as forums and chat rooms, through which the child could provide personal information that would be visible to other users. If you are the parent or guardian of a child user, please advise your child of the risks of posting personal information on this iD Sites & Services or any other site. VII.           Parental/Guardian Rights If you are a parent or guardian, you can review or have deleted your child's personal information, and refuse to permit further collection or use of your child's information. To exercise any of these rights, please email us at  [email protected] or send your request to:

iD Tech ∙ PO Box 111720 ∙ Campbell, CA 950011 Client Service Toll Free Number: 1-888-709-8324

VIII.         Restrictions On Child Users Children under 13 years of age are prevented from accessing areas of iD Sites & Services which include, but are not restricted to, client account information, unless approved by their parent or guardian and any course content defined as age inappropriate by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). IX.            Forums And Chats We may offer forums and chat rooms. Please be aware that anyone may read postings on a forum or in a chat room. Furthermore, any information which is posted to a forum or chat room could include personal information, which would be disclosed and available to all users of that forum or chat room, and is therefore no longer private. We cannot guarantee the security of information that any user discloses or communicates online in public areas such as forums and chat rooms. Those who do so, do so at their own risk. We reserve the right to monitor the content of the forums and chat rooms. If age-inappropriate content or potentially identifiable information is seen, it may be removed or edited by us for security, privacy, and/or legal reasons. We will not republish postings from forums or chat rooms anywhere on the Web. X.             Links And Third Parties

At our discretion, we may include or offer third-party websites, products, and services on iD Sites & Services. These third-party sites, products, and services have separate and independent privacy policies. You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third parties. We have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of linked sites, products, or services.

Our iD Sites & Services may contain links to other third-party websites, chat rooms, or other resources that we provide for your convenience. These sites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for the content available on other sites. Such links do not imply any endorsement of material on our part and we expressly disclaim all liability with regard to your access to such sites. Access to any other websites linked to from iD Sites & Services is at your own risk.  

XI.             Legal Basis for processing Personal Data and Your Data Protection Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), iD Tech’s legal basis for collecting and using your personal information as described in this policy depends on the personal Data we collect and the context in which we collect it.  ID Tech may process your personal data:

• To provide the services which you requested or purchased;
• Because you have given us permission to do so;
• To provide you with better services, including conducting audits and data analysis;
• For payment processing;
• For marketing; and 
• To comply with the law

You have certain data protection rights. iD Tech aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete or limit the use of your Personal Data.

If you wish to be informed about what Personal Data we hold about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us at  [email protected] .

In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:

• The right to access, update, or delete the information we have on you. Whenever made possible, you can access, update, or request deletion of your Personal Data directly within your account settings section. If you are unable to perform these actions yourself, please contact us to assist you.
• The right to have your information corrected if that information is inaccurate or incomplete.
• The right to object. You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Data.
• The right of restriction. You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information.
• The right to data portability. You have the right to be provided with a copy of the information we have on you in a structured, machine-readable, and commonly used format.
• The right to withdraw consent. You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where iD Tech relied on your consent to process your personal information.

Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.

You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about our collection and use of your Personal Data. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority in the European Economic Area (EEA). XII.           International Visitors  (non GDPR Locations) Our iD Sites & Services are operated and managed on servers located in the United States. If you choose to use our iD Sites & Services from the European Union or other regions of the world with laws governing data collection and uses that differ from the United States, then you recognize and agree that you are transferring your personal information outside of those regions to the United States and you consent to that transfer. XIII.          Data Security Commitment To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect. We also use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol on your account information and registration pages to protect sensitive personal information. Sensitive data is encrypted on our iD Sites & Services and when stored on the servers.

XIV. How You Can Access, Request A Copy, Correct, Or Ask For Information To Be Deleted Access to certain personal Information that is collected from our Services and that we maintain may be available to you. For example, if you created a password-protected account within our Service, you can access that account to review the information you provided.

You may also send an email or letter to the following email or call the number provided to ask for a copy, correction, or ask us to delete your personal Information. Please include your registration information for such services, such as first name, last name, phone, and email address in the request. We may ask you to provide additional information for identity verification purposes or to verify that you are in possession of an applicable email account. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-888-709-8324 XV. How To Contact Us/Opting Out Of Electronic Communications If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or if you have provided your email and/or address and prefer not to receive marketing information, please contact us via email or call at the number provided below.  Make sure you provide your name as well as the email(s) and address(es) you wish to have removed. 

If you have signed up to receive text messages from us and no longer wish to receive such messages, you may call or email us at the address provided below. Please provide your name, account email, and the number(s) you want removed. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-888-709-8324 XVI.         Terms And Conditions Your use of our iD Sites & Services and any information you provide on our iD Sites & Services are subject to the terms of the internalDrive, Inc. (referred to as “iD Tech”) Terms and Conditions. XVII.         Privacy Statement Changes We will occasionally amend this privacy statement. We reserve the right to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this statement at any time. If we materially change our use of your personal information, we will announce such a change on relevant iD Sites & Services and will also note it in this privacy statement. The effective date of this privacy statement is documented at the beginning of the statement. If you have any questions about our privacy statement, please contact us in writing at [email protected] or by mail at PO Box 111720, Campbell, CA 95011. XVIII.          Your Credit Card Information And Transactions For your convenience, you may have us bill you or you can pay for your orders by credit card. If you choose to pay by credit card, we will keep your credit card information on file, but we do not display that information at the online registration site. For your security, your credit card security number is not stored in our system.

We use state-of-the-art Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to safeguard and protect your personal information and transactions over the Internet. Your information, including your credit card information, is encrypted and cannot be read as it travels over the Internet. XIX.         Social Networking Disclaimer iD Tech provides several opportunities for social networking for both participants and staff on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube. These sites are not affiliated with iD Tech and offer their own individual social networking services. Please read the following Terms and Conditions carefully, as well as the Terms and Conditions of the sites in which iD Tech has created a forum ("Group"). These Terms and Conditions are a legal agreement between you and iD Tech and apply to you whether you are a visitor to these sites or any site with an official iD Tech affiliation. iD Tech is a member of several pre-existing sites (as mentioned above). There may be, however, portions of  www.iDTech.com  that include areas where participants can post submissions. Any of the above-mentioned "Sites" (or other similar sites) have their own distinct rules and regulations. iD Tech reserves the right to take action to remove any content deemed inappropriate by the sites or by iD Tech standards. iD Tech will not be held liable for any loss of content or disagreements that may arise between the individual social networking site and the user. You understand that by registering for an iD Tech program, your participant(s) may access and upload content to social networking sites. In order to access certain features of the social networking sites or pages on iDTech.com, and to post Member Submissions, the majority of these sites require that the user open an account with them. Please note that these sites have their own individual Terms and Conditions that must be followed. Age requirements are outlined within each Site's Terms and Conditions. You hereby authorize your participant to access social networking sites while at camp and create an account if they choose to do so and if they meet the requirements listed by each site to create an account. Interaction with other users:

• iD Tech is merely providing a medium in which to socialize online with fellow participants. Users are solely responsible for interactions (including any disputes) with other Members and any volunteers that may advise and assist participants with projects and activities via your use of the iD Site & Services.
• You understand that iD Tech does not in any way screen Members or review or police: (i) statements made by Members in their Member Submissions or the Member Submissions in general; or (ii) statements made by Users or any information a User may provide via the iD Site & Services.
• You understand that your participant(s) is solely responsible for, and will exercise caution, discretion, common sense, and judgment in using the various iD Sites & Services and disclosing personal information to other Members or Users. 
• On behalf of your participant(s), you agree that they will take reasonable precautions in all interactions with other Members, particularly if they decide to meet a Member offline or in person.
• Your participant's use of the social networking sites with which iD Tech is affiliated, their services, and/or Content and Member Submissions, is at your sole risk and discretion and iD Tech hereby disclaims any and all liability to you or any third party relating thereto.
• On behalf of your participant(s), you agree that they will not harass, threaten, intimidate, bully, stalk, or invade the privacy of any individual in connection with your use of the social networking sites with which iD Tech is affiliated and their services, whether or not an individual is an iD Tech Member; and you further agree not to advocate such activities or to encourage others to engage in any such activities.
• On behalf of your participant(s), you agree they will not give their social networking information to an iD Tech staff member.
• You and your participant(s) should also be aware that under no circumstances are iD Tech employees allowed to give personal contact information for social networking sites. This must be arranged by the participant's parent/guardian through the People Services Department.

XX.        Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy: You agree that you and your participant will not use the social networking sites to offer, display, distribute, transmit, route, provide connections to, or store any material that infringes copyrighted works, trademarks, or service marks or otherwise violates or promotes the violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party. internalDrive, Inc. has adopted and implemented a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe or are believed to be or are charged with repeatedly infringing the intellectual property or proprietary rights of others. XXI.       Disclaimer:   BY USING THE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES OR SUBMITTING A MEMBER SUBMISSION, YOU AGREE THAT INTERNALDRIVE, INC. IS NOT RESPONSIBLE, AND WILL IN NO EVENT BE HELD LIABLE, FOR ANY: (A) LOST, ILLEGIBLE, MISDIRECTED, DAMAGED, OR INCOMPLETE MEMBER SUBMISSIONS; (B) COMPUTER OR NETWORK MALFUNCTION OR ERROR; (C) COMMUNICATION DISRUPTION OR OTHER DISRUPTIONS RELATED TO INTERNET TRAFFIC, A VIRUS, BUG, WORM, OR NON-AUTHORIZED INTERVENTION; OR (D) DAMAGE CAUSED BY A COMPUTER VIRUS OR OTHERWISE FROM YOUR ACCESS TO THE SITE OR SERVICES. THE SITE, SERVICES, INTERNALDRIVE, INC., CONTENT, AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. INTERNALDRIVE, INC. AND ITS SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE SITE, SERVICES, INTERNALDRIVE, INC., CONTENT AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS, WHETHER THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR YOUR SUBMISSION OF A MEMBER SUBMISSION WILL PRODUCE ANY LEVEL OF PROFIT OR BUSINESS FOR YOU OR LEAD TO ECONOMIC BENEFIT, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF QUALITY, AVAILABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN ADDITION, INTERNALDRIVE, INC. MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE SITE OR SERVICES WILL BE ERROR FREE OR THAT ANY ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED. SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. XXII.         Indemnification:   You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold iD Tech, its officers, directors, employees, and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with: (i) your access to or use of social networking sites, their services, iD Tech Content and Member Submissions; (ii) your violation of these Terms of Use; (iii) your violation of any third-party right, including, without limitation, any intellectual property right, publicity, confidentiality, property, or privacy right; or (iv) any claim that one of your Member Submissions caused damage to a third party or infringed or violated any third-party intellectual property right, publicity, confidentiality, property, or privacy right.

iD Tech Terms & Conditions

Id tech general terms & conditions publish date: october 26, 2023.

These Terms and Conditions apply to all pages found at www.idtech.com  and all Programs operated by internalDrive, Inc. (referred to as "iD Tech") including but not limited to iD Tech In-Person programs and iD Tech Online Programs. These terms apply to all lessons, classes, courses, and options offered by iD Tech (hereinafter referred to individually as “Program” or collectively “Programs”).

Privacy Policy: By using iD Tech’s website, registering you or your student for a Program, and/or affirmatively giving your agreement, you are agreeing on your own behalf and that of your student to abide and be bound by the Privacy Policy found HERE and the Terms and Conditions contained and referenced herein.

Online Programs: If you are purchasing, or you or your student is participating in an Online Program you also agree on your own behalf and on behalf of your student, to be bound by the additional terms and conditions found HERE .

On-Campus Programs: If you are purchasing, or you or your student is participating in, an On-Campus Program, you also agree on your own behalf and on behalf of your student to be bound by the additional terms and conditions found HERE .

I. Code of Conduct

To promote the best learning environment possible, all students and parents will be held to this Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct or engaging in actions or attitudes that seem to be harmful to the atmosphere, other participants, or staff, in the opinion of iD Tech can lead to removal from a Program or Program(s). iD Tech reserves the right to dismiss students from a Program and prevent a student from attending additional Programs without any prior warning for (1) violating any of the terms of this code of conduct, or (2) if iD Tech determines that a Program is not a suitable and/or productive environment for a student (this includes incidents in which a student does not have sufficient English language skills to participate in the Program; participation in courses requires a high level of English understanding). Refunds will not be given for students dismissed for failure of the student or the parent to abide by the Code of Conduct, or if it is determined that a Program is not suitable for a student. While iD Tech strives to maintain excellent relationships with students, in some rare cases, we may determine that iD Tech is not a compatible environment for every student.

Students and parents/guardians may NEVER:

• Disrupt, bully, intimidate, or harass others;
• Use inappropriate language (for example, students cannot use of swear or curse words, racial, gendered, homophobic/transphobic, stereotypical, or culturally insensitive words, even if done in a joking manner);
• View, display or post any inappropriate material (including sexual content, material depicting inappropriate violence, racism, bullying, etc.) during a Program;
• Share Program information (including lesson plans, etc.) with third-parties, without permission from iD Tech;
• Impersonate another person; or
• Contact instructors outside of the Program.

Students also may NEVER:

• Engage in Internet hacking;
• Create an account on or log into third-party websites without the permission of their instructor;
• Use false information to create an account on or log into third-party websites;
• Share personal information with staff members or ask staff members for their personal information;
• Share or create video or audio recordings of iD Tech staff or another student without the permission of iD Tech.

Students and parents/guardians MUST:

• Follow directions/instructions of iD Tech personnel;
• If online, ensure the student attends the Program in an appropriate, private setting;
• Dress appropriately during the Program;
• Adhere to the terms of use of any sites used, including following the specified age policies; and
• Only share material that is related to lessons and appropriate.

II. Age Policy

iD Tech offers Programs for students ages 7-19. Therefore, students may interact and/or room with a student that is within this age range including 18 or 19 years old. Please note the age range of the Program being registered for.

If a student is 18 or 19 years old and participating in an On-Campus Program, they must successfully pass a criminal and sexual offender background check prior to being allowed to attend. Clients are responsible for all costs and fees associated with any background checks required for a student to attend.

III. Special Accommodations

If a student requires an accommodation to participate, or needs an aid to attend in an iD Tech Program, a parent/guardian must call iD Tech at 1-888-709-8324, no less than three weeks prior to your student’s first day of the Program to make needed arrangements.

If a student requires an aide to participate in an iD Tech Program, the aide must be age 18 or older, may not be a family member, and if it is an On -Campus Program, the aide must successfully pass a criminal and sexual offender background check prior ro being allowed to attend with the student. Aides may also be subject to fingerprinting. Clients are responsible for all direct costs, including background check processing fees, parking, and compensation for the aide’s attendance.

IV. Payment Policy

• Unless otherwise noted, all financial transactions are made and quoted in U.S. Dollars.
• All Payment Plan Fees, fees paid for Online Programs, and the $250 per week deposit for On-Campus Programs are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
• Other than if iD Tech needs to cancel a class, there are no refunds, credits or replacement days for classes missed. If iD Tech needs to cancel a class, iD Tech will either provide you a pro rata credit or reschedule the canceled class(es).
• If iD Tech cancels an entire Program for any reason, the fees paid for the Program will be refunded, less the non-refundable fees, as set out above. Non-refundable fees (other than the Payment Plan Fee, if any) will remain in your account as a fully transferable credit that is valid for three (3) years.
• iD Tech has the right to charge a $25 late fee on any payments not paid by the due date. For balances that are over 30 (thirty) days past due, iD Tech has the right to charge a 1% monthly finance charge and send the balance to a collection agency for collection (collection agency and legal fees may apply).
• All fees (registration, administrative, late, etc.) must be paid prior to the start of a Program, unless a payment plan has been agreed to. Students will be withdrawn from a Program if the Program has not been paid in full prior to the start of the Program, or if at any time a payment is not paid by the due date. No refunds, credits, or make-up classes will be provided if a session is missed due to a delinquent payment.
• By agreeing to a subscription or payment plan, you are authorizing iD Tech to auto charge the credit card on file as agreed at the time of purchase and as set out in My Account.
• A $35 returned check fee will be assessed for any checks returned or card transactions that are not honored.

V. Reservation Changes

To provide outstanding Programs, we may have to limit your ability to make changes (such as registering for a different course or changing attendance dates) and/or cancel a Program. Please reference the Terms and Conditions for specific Programs (linked above) for the rules and restrictions for changes and cancellations for that Program.

VI. Promotions and Discounts

Promotional discounts are limited to one discount per student. There may be other limitations as to how they apply, and codes must be submitted at the time of registration. iD Tech will not honor retroactive adjustments, and the total discounts received cannot exceed the total cost of the products purchased.

The Refer-a-Friend Program is a voluntary Program that applies to Small Group Classes and In-Person Programs.

• Each Referral Code can be used a maximum of 10 times. The code can only be used by students attending iD Tech for the first time (may be limited to certain Programs) and must be applied at the time of registration.
• A tuition credit will be given for each new student that registers for an In-Person Program or Small Group Class using a referral code and attends the course for which they registered.
• The Refer-a-Friend Program does not apply to siblings.
• Students may not refer each other to both qualify for the Refer-a-Friend Discount.
• Tuition credit will be applied after the referred client registers, pays in full and attends the Program. If the referred friend cancels his/her Program, the credit will be removed, and you will be responsible for any account balance that is created as a result of the lost credit.
• All tuition credits must be used in the Program term in which they are earned, can be used to offset Program tuition and other fees incurred, but do not entitle you to any form of payment.
• Tuition credits have no cash value.

VII. Certificates/Vouchers

All certificates/vouchers are non-refundable, non-transferable, and not redeemable for cash. Certificates/vouchers must be redeemed at the time of registration. Certificates/vouchers are valid until the specified expiration date, without exception. They are valid for up to the amount issued, and any amounts not used are forfeited.

VIII. General Releases

• Media Release: As a condition of participation, you authorize iD Tech and its partners to take photos, videos, images, audio, and testimonials of and/or from you and your student and agree that said content may be used by iD Tech in promotional materials, marketing collateral, and online media. These images, testimonials, photos, videos, and audio may be shared and used by corporate partners, the media, or other organizations that work with iD Tech. You also agree that all projects and work created by your student during an iD Tech Program may be used by iD Tech in promotional materials, online, and other print media, and may be shared and used by corporate partners, the media, or other organizations that work with iD Tech. You understand that iD Tech, its owners, agents, partners, facility providers, and employees will not be held liable for damages and injuries associated with use of any content released herein, including any and all claims based on negligence. You agree that all images, testimonials, photos, video, and audio taken at or in connection with an iD Tech Program are the sole and exclusive property of iD Tech, and that iD Tech has a royalty-free, perpetual license to use copies of all student work and projects created at an iD Tech Program.
• Name and Likeness Release: As a condition of participation, you authorize iD Tech and the press to use your student's full name and likeness in print, radio, TV, and other mediums.
• Project/Hardware Release: Some iD Tech Programs are project-based. In such instances, iD Tech will attempt to provide your student with the knowledge to produce a working project. Some iD Tech Programs include take home hardware. In those instances, iD Tech will send home a product or voucher for a product. However, there will be instances when a project or product or product voucher cannot be sent home, posted, or delivered, and you agree that iD Tech is not responsible if the game, project, product or voucher does not work properly and/or is not compatible with outside systems. You release iD Tech from any responsibility for failure to provide a copy of the project or product voucher, or a non-functioning/non-compatible/non-complete game, project, product voucher or product. Refunds will not be issued for not receiving products, product vouchers, or being provided a copy of the project, and/or non-functioning/non-compatible/non-complete projects, product vouchers or products. If you have issues with a product voucher or product, you must contact the manufacturer directly. Product vouchers only cover shipping within the continental U.S. Therefore, if you require the product to be shipped outside the continental US, you are responsible for all shipping and handling costs.
• Software Accounts: Some iD Tech Program activities require creation and/or use of an online account or require an online account to be created for your student. You consent to create or have iD Tech create account(s) as needed for your student to participate in Program activities. During non-instructional time, students may have access to websites that require accounts to be set up. While it is against iD Tech rules for students to set up accounts without their instructor’s permission, there may be instances where a student may create an account without the knowledge of iD Tech or its employees. In such instances, you release iD Tech and its employees from any and all responsibility and liability for accounts created by your student without iD Tech’s knowledge.
• Game Ratings: iD Tech takes its corporate responsibility and iD Tech family values very seriously. However, we cannot guarantee that younger students at iD Tech will avoid all contact with or mention of games rated "T" for Teen, or "M" for Mature. iD Tech will make a concerted effort to minimize both direct and indirect exposure to any games not rated for a student’s age group. Students attending courses designed for older ages have a greater chance of being exposed to materials rated for that older age group. If a student is attending a course for ages 13+, they may be exposed to games rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). You voluntarily assume any and all risks, known or unknown, associated with your student’s exposure to game content at an iD Tech Program.

IX. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold internalDrive, Inc.,iD Tech, its officers, directors, employees, and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with your student’s participation in an iD Tech Program.

X. Arbitration Agreement

You agree that any dispute other than collection matters, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, you or your student's participation in a Program with internalDrive, Inc., or otherwise arising between the parties, including, without limitation, any statutorily created or protected rights, as permitted by applicable state/provincial or federal laws, shall be settled by arbitration to be held in Santa Clara County, California, in accordance with the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. The prevailing party in the arbitration shall be entitled to recover expenses including costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees associated therewith. Should any part of this contract be found invalid or not enforceable by a court of law, then the remaining portion shall continue to be valid and in force. You hereby acknowledge that you understand the terms of this ARBITRATION AGREEMENT, and you agree to comply with all of its terms and provisions.

XI. Rights Reserved

internalDrive, Inc. reserves the right to update or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. iD Tech is not a university-sponsored program. iD Tech reserves the right to cancel or modify any and all classes, lessons, Programs or courses for any reason.

XII. Release of Liability

ON BEHALF OF MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD, I, THE PARENT/GUARDIAN, IN EXCHANGE FOR THE RIGHT OF MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD TO PARTICIPATE IN ID TECH PROGRAM(S), HEREBY RELEASE INTERNALDRIVE, INC., ITS OWNERS, AGENTS, PARTNERS, FACILITY PROVIDERS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM LIABILITY (INCLUDING CLAIMS BASED UPON NEGLIGENCE) FOR ANY AND ALL DAMAGES OR INJURIES TO MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD OR DAMAGE OF ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY. I AGREE TO BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL SUCH DAMAGES OR INJURIES WHICH MAY RESULT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ANY NEGLIGENT ACTS OR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNALDRIVE, INC. HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM NOT RELEASING INTERNALDRIVE, INC., ITS OWNERS, AGENTS, PARTNERS, FACILITY PROVIDERS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR INTENTIONALLY TORTIOUS CONDUCT. TO THE EXTENT THIS RELEASE CONFLICTS WITH STATE/PROVINCIAL LAW GOVERNING RELEASES, THIS RELEASE IS TO BE GIVEN THE FULLEST FORCE AND EFFECT PERMITTED UNDER STATE/PROVINCIAL LAW. SHOULD ANY PART OF THIS CONTRACT BE FOUND INVALID OR NOT ENFORCEABLE BY A COURT OF LAW, THEN THE REMAINING PORTION SHALL CONTINUE TO BE VALID AND IN FORCE. XIII. Copyright

iD Tech partners with and uses the intellectual property of some amazing companies. You and your student agree to uphold the copyright and trademark rights of iD Tech, their partners, and any company whose products are used at an iD Tech Program.

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October 13, 2022

How to Create a Daily Homework Routine

By Adina Levitt, Instructor

Homework. Often a dreaded task students want to get through as quickly as possible. However, with an intentional and executive function focused approach, homework time can be a more effective and manageable process.

Here are 7 tips students can use to create an effective homework routine:

• Get situated in a quiet, distraction-free space.

As much as students may think otherwise, the human brain does not allow us to multitask well. Removing distractions from the environment provides students with an optimal space where they can fully attend to their work. Encourage them to leave their phone in another room, turn desktop notifications off, close extra tabs, and work in a quiet space with minimal visual distractions to set them up for a successful homework environment.

2. Set a timer.

Our attention spans are finite. As much as a student may think working for 4 hours straight is what they need to do to get that assignment done, our brains need breaks in order to function best. The Pomodoro Technique offers a helpful framework that maximizes productivity and supports executive functions of attention, motivation, decision making, and time management (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off). With an end goal in mind, students can engage in more focused work knowing that a respite is coming.

3. Make an agenda.

It’s homework time, but does your student know where to start? Have them consult their school planner or online school calendar and write down a list of the assignments they want to work on during this homework block. After creating the list, they can assign each task an order of operations. Some factors to consider when prioritizing tasks could be: when it’s due, how many points it’s worth, or the difficulty of the task.

4. Read directions.

Now it’s time to jump in! A thorough approach to doing an assignment involves carefully reading directions to understand expectations. But what does that really mean? Try reading directions aloud, underlining important information, and restating them using different wording. Rubrics also provide helpful guidance on assignment directions; Try turning rubrics into simple checklists to follow while working through a task.

5. Take a break.

When that work timer goes off, it’s time for a well-deserved break. Put 5 minutes on the clock and enjoy! Some break options include a movement break, mindfulness, a music break, or a puzzle break. A walk around the house or a snack break work too! When the timer goes off, set it for another work interval and repeat the timer cycle.

6. Review work.

To avoid careless mistakes, students should review their work by checking that all requirements (found in the directions or in a rubric) were completed. They can read their written responses aloud and redo their math computations as a check. Students can also check in with themselves: “Did I do my best work? Do I feel ready to submit this assignment?”

7. Hit submit.

Students have done amazing work up to this point, now let’s help them get to the finish line! Online assignments need to be submitted (hit that submit button!) and paper assignments need to be placed neatly into backpacks so they make it back to school on time.

BONUS TIP: Once a student has determined a homework routine that works for them, they can create a checklist that serves as a visual reminder and holds them accountable for following each step.

These tips will help students develop an effective homework routine that will strengthen their executive function skills and serve them well throughout their academic career.

7 Tips for a Successful Homework Routine

Students are heading back to school, so many families are getting back into more structured schedules and searching for ways they can set their children up for success. here are a few homework routine suggestions to help start the fall semester..

• Set up a dedicated space for your student to work free from distractions. Give them opportunities to be a part of the setup, then encourage them to use the space consistently.
• Make sure your student has all of the supplies they will need before beginning their work. This way, they won’t need to break their concentration or momentum when retrieving materials they forgot.
• Work with your student to develop a routine after homework is finished to ensure it gets turned in. Identify a place they will always put their completed work, like a designated folder. Provide visual reminders in their workspace for submitting electronic assignments and make sure folders get put in the backpack for the following day.

• Remove items that may be distracting, such as a cell phone. Talk to your student about how removing distractions during work time is important for doing our best work and that this is not a punishment! Allow the student to use items during break times, then remove them when it’s time to get back to work.
• Help your student break assignments down into smaller tasks. One way to do this is by backward planning. Help them create a picture in their mind (or on paper!) of what the finished product should look like. Once they have a clear picture, help them identify the steps needed to achieve their picture.
• Model the behavior you expect from your student! When you are working, model for your student how you remove distractions and plan your work. One of the best ways we can support our students’ executive functioning development is to provide examples throughout our day-to-day routines.

Contact us to speak to a Groves Family Navigator who is well-versed in the curriculum, instruction, and extracurricular activities offered at Groves Academy and services at Groves Learning Center. They’re knowledgeable about learning disabilities and attention and executive function disorders. They can provide guidance regarding our school, diagnostic evaluations, tutoring, speech-language services, and other resources.

Contact a Groves Family Navigator

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🌞 Plan your family’s SUMMER RHYTHMS now!

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A Mother Far from Home

Homework Routines That Help Kids Settle Down & Do The Work

🌞 A little planning now will save you a chaotic, fight-filled, over-screened SUMMER . Plan your Summer Rhythms today and make it your best summer ever!

Are you dreading homework battles? Here are some sure ways to get a happy homework routine. Kids will settle down and finish their work with these tips:

There’s nothing like picking up your beloved kids from school, seeing them smile at all their friends, wave goodbye, then get into the van and start complaining.

Fighting with their siblings.

Melting all the way down.

After school meltdowns are a Real Thing, mama friend.

What makes them worse? Having to get home and then… get them at the table to do homework. For goodness sake, mom life ain’t for the faint of heart. Here are some homework routine ideas that will help set your children up for success.

What's in this post...

Set up a homework routine work area.

A friendly work area can go a long way…

Some kids are better at focusing and getting a job done than others. Some can read a 500 page chapter book in the middle of the floor with barking dogs, yelling kids, the TV on, etc.

On the other hand, some need a space and a place designated for their attention and motivation.

Follow this checklist until your tidy routines become second nature.

The second one is me. So, I get it when kids don’t want to settle down and do homework when there isn’t a “homework safe” place.

• Pick a spot that is designated to do their homework, or a spot that can easily change into their homework spot when necessary (barroom desk, dining room table, corner nook).
• Hang a calendar set up, a jar of pencils, and a pencil sharpener. It doesn’t have to be fancy (although it could be). A homework caddy like this one will make it fun!
• Address the kids when school starts. Say: “I know you’re going to have some homework, let’s make a good spot here so you can do a good job.”
• Keep this area ready for homework after school. Don’t pile it full of other things or push it aside when life gets busy.

Here’s a child approved tip: have a fun/healthy/favorite snack available. Snacks really help!

Eliminate distractions during the homework routine.

This is also a case-by-case situation, but most kids will achieve their homework better when they aren’t distracted.

Being “focused” during homework time is part of a good homework routine. This happens when a child decides that they are going to get their task done without worrying with other things .

Other things like:

• younger siblings demanding attention
• their electronic devices
• what’s for dinner
• people coming & going out of the room

Follow my 3 step system to organize your mornings, afternoons, and evenings to minimize the chaos and micro-managing.

Work before play is the only way.

I talk about this as it relates to transitions. You know, when kids melt down because they have to go from something the love to something they don’t like .

Nobody wants to quit playing outside, put down their game, or come away from the TV to do homework. But, they would enjoy the fact that their homework is completed and now to the reward of ___________.

Flipping the script on “work before play.”

I would never say: “ You don’t get to do anything you want until your homework is done.”

Instead, I would say: ” After you complete your homework, you get to go have fun .”

Flipping the “work before play” script into a positive drives motivation and helps avoid meltdowns.

If kids know that your boundary has been set (AKA I can play after I get my homework done), and you don’t waiver from this, things will go smoother.

Motivate and monitor, but don’t do it for them.

Doing your kids homework for them not only hinders their independence, but also makes them lazy. And yes, parents really do this…

On the other side, some parents struggle with finding the time to help their kids because evenings are so busy.

I recommend something in the middle. This goes back to finding a location for homework that works well with your lifestyle and is right for mom and kids.

• This homework location has to be somewhere where you can motivate your kids when needed. There will be times when they have to be reminded to stay on task, etc.
• It also has to be somewhere where you can swoop in and help if needed. For example, possibly at the kitchen bar while you are dong dinner prep.

Always be prepared to encourage when needed. Sometimes just a simple “I love how hard you are working” will do the trick.

Be in communications with their teacher.

Kids love to know that mom and the teacher are on the same page. I am quick to email, call, or message one of my kiddo’s teachers whenever I have a question or concern.

This goes for homework too . Whatever it is, I know that communication with their teachers makes their learning processes smoother.

Here’s the truth: when kids know that you can (and will) speak with their teacher, they will be more apt to keep a healthy homework routine.

Create an atmosphere where mistakes are acceptable and effort is praised.

You’re going to see home homework assignments (especially in the elementary age) that make no sense to you. Just go with it…

Foster a homework routine that strives for 100% effort, not 100% perfection.

Now, math may be the exception because you want math to be correct. But, on most things… homework is about training in accountability and getting that little extra practice. That’s it.

Plus, when you’re both striving for perfection things can get frustrating. When in reality, homework isn’t about that.

Get my cheat sheets and find your family’s groove.  Chore, independent play, meal, nap, bedtime, and MORE routine ideas!

Aim for completion and participation, not perfection.

• Homework can be a bonding time when the stress of perfection is taken away.
• Your goal is to aim for happy camper participation.
• Get it done, go have some fun.

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As a mom of 5 kids, born in 5 years, I understand what it’s like for lots of small problems to take over, leaving you stressed to the max. With simple routines – for everyone – and life skills preparation – for the kids! – your home can be a peaceful haven, not a source of stress you are driven to escape.

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Homework Routines Matter for Students with (and Without) Learning Differences

Let’s face it: no one likes homework. But if your teen has a learning difference, homework isn’t merely an annoying inconvenience—it can turn your living room into a battleground, complete with nightly tears, shouting, and meltdowns. (And the kids don’t like it either!) Research shows that students with learning differences need a different approach to homework. 

That’s why Lawrence School, a K-12 school that serves students with learning differences, uses this philosophy: More isn’t better, and assigned homework should focus on content students have already mastered, so that they can complete their homework alone and with confidence.

Are you feeling the “ah-ha” moment? This is an approach I think a lot of parents can get on board with, regardless of whether or not their child has a learning difference. And the strategies Lawrence uses to help bring peace to the nightly routine can benefit every family. 

What Research About Homework Says 

There isn’t much research to support homework for younger kids, says Denise Brown-Triolo, Ph.D., director of student advocacy and support services at Lawrence. Even among older kids, homework works best when it’s brief. High school students should not have more than two hours of homework per night, Brown-Triolo says.

Cheryl Cook, academic dean of the upper school at Lawrence, points to research supporting the social and emotional benefits of students with learning differences participating in extracurricular activities , and says that homework should not interfere with that.

“We believe the type of homework and amount of homework has to be mindful for the learner and allow them time to do the other things outside of school that are important to them,” Cook says.

That work-life balance is a good recipe for all students; all work and no play leads to stress and burnout that can cause our students to become disconnected from their learning. 

Practice, Not Perfection

At Lawrence, there is an emphasis on assigning work that students are already familiar with and feel competent at. “We’re really looking for assigning work that the students can do with minimal support from Mom and Dad; they can do it on their own based on what they’ve shown in class,” says Cook.  

Additionally, says Brown-Triolo, homework should be focused on practicing an already mastered skill, not necessarily perfecting it. “If a student’s learning difference is related to spelling, they should not have points off for spelling in a math homework assignment,” Brown-Triolo describes.

How Parents Can Help 

Whether or not your teen has a learning difference , how you approach homework at home can make a big difference. Cook offers these proven strategies for making homework a more positive, empowering experience for both you and your teen. (Yes, it’s possible!)

• Set up a routine about when homework will get done—ideally the same time each day
• Have a designated homework space; encourage your teen to make it their own by picking out a desk, décor, and materials
• Homework time should be limited ; work with your teen’s school to decide what that limit should be, and then stick to it. 
• Make sure there are lots of breaks; after working for 15 minutes, take a 5-minute break

Advocating for Your Child 

If your teen continues struggling with homework despite your best efforts, you may need to further advocate on their behalf. Especially if your teen has an IEP, Brown-Triolo shares these key homework accommodations to ask for:

• Whatever assistive technology your teen needs in the classroom (such as text reader, dictation, speech-to-text) should also be provided at home
• If your teen has a print disability, request at-home access to electronic versions of books or articles 
• Students with difficulty organizing materials or physical weaknesses may need access to an extra set of materials (textbooks, papers, etc.) at home. 
• If motivation is a factor, request that the plan include wording emphasizing homework effort , not accuracy
• Request that homework be limited to a certain amount of time to accommodate executive functioning learning differences and teens with academic learning anxiety

Winning the Homework War

Changing your mindset toward homework and working with your teen’s academic team should turn the battle ground into common ground. But even once you have a plan in place, you may hit roadblocks along the way. Says Brown-Triolo, “You should never hesitate to reach out to your teen’s teachers and IEP coordinators if you have concerns.”

Wendy Wisner’s work has appeared in The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and elsewhere. She is a frequent contributor to yourteenmag.com.

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Family Focus Blog

Top family blog by Nashville mom blogger

How To Establish A Homework Routine

September 21, 2022 by Scarlet

The school year has started. So has the battle to get energetic kids, ready to play after a long day of school, to sit down and do their homework. This battle can be particularly difficult with restless children. Here are some homework tips that many parents have found helpful to establish a homework routine that works. A homework routine typically includes several key elements to help students stay organized, focused, and productive. Here is how to get started.

6 Homework Tips for Parents with Restless Kids

1. Create A Homework Routine

A homework routine is a set schedule designed to help the child know what to expect. A homework routine makes things easier by creating a habit of doing homework at a specific time. The elements that make up a productive homework routine should include a start time, breaks at regular intervals, and a designated area in which to do the homework. This homework space may be the kitchen table, dining room table, or a desk in their room as long as it is clean and stocked with school supplies.

For younger children in elementary school the homework routine should be designed by a parent. By middle school the child may want to take the reins on their homework session with a little follow up from a parent. In high school, the homework routine should be designed by the student. However, if a parent notices grades dropping, they make need to make adjustments. For example, remove screen time from the school week if grades aren’t up to par.

Many children will want to have a break after school before starting homework assignments. After sitting still at school all day, I can see why. So allowing them an hour after they get home to play outdoors and have a snack is a great way to make sure they are prepared to start their homework. In this way, they will have expelled excess energy and they won’t have a hungry stomach bothering them during homework time.

Homework Routine Example

3:30 Child arrives home from school. 3:30-4:30 Snack time with active play outdoors when possible. 4:30 Child sits down at designated homework station. 4:30-5:00 Complete assignments. 5:00-5:15 Break 5:15-5:45 Finish any work due the next day and if there is time left, work on any long-term assignments.

The above homework schedule is for younger kids who can’t sit still and concentrate for long periods of time. Hopefully, they will complete homework within that time. If not, they can continue to do 30 minutes of homework and then take a break until complete. I would not let them play video games during their breaks. Save that type of sedentary activity as their reward for finishing completely.

A good homework routine should also include the elements below.

2. Help Kids Release Some Energy

Whether a child has a lot of energy or struggles with paying attention, providing an outlet for that energy will help avoid their impulse to get up and walk away. This can do wonders at helping a child focus on his or her school work. Try having your student sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair at the desk or table. Another option would be to tie an exercise band on the desk or chair where the student can pull and play with it with their feet. Or try giving them some chewing gum, which has been found to organize the nervous system. Whatever you try, make sure it is a small movement that can be done subconsciously, so your student is able to give full attention to their homework.

3. Provide Motivation

We all need motivation to get tasks completed, especially if the task seems difficult or boring. Avoid bribing or begging your child to do their homework. Rather, set clear ground rules for when they get home from school. For example, they can play with their friends after their homework is done. If your son or daughter seems to struggle with time management in particular, try setting a timer for 30 minutes. Then ask them to see how much they can get done before the timer goes off. When trying this approach, be sure the quality of the work doesn’t suffer. The time limit should serve as a motivator to focus and work in an efficient manner.

4. Be Available

Frustration at not understanding a homework assignment or being unable to get help can lead to stress and feelings of helplessness. The best way to help with this is to be available to your student as they are doing homework. In this way, they can ask questions and get help when they need it. If your child is unwilling to accept your help, they may benefit from a tutor . Or they may want to call a homework buddy who can answer their questions.

5. Tips For Focusing On Homework: Limit Distractions

Distractions are particularly problematic for kids with ADHD or other learning disabilities . Try to set aside a quiet room with few visual distractions for your child to work in. Classical music and white noise has been found to be helpful in some situations. For teenagers, take away the cellphone and social media until their homework is completed. Giving students a snack with protein and complex carbs will keep them to focus on school work not an empty stomach. Most importantly, when you establish a homework routine, keep the TV off.

6. Adapt to Your Child’s Needs

Every child learns differently, so the most important thing to remember is to adapt to your child’s needs when figuring out how to help establish a homework routine. Perhaps your child would benefit from online tutoring or educational math game apps  if they enjoy computer games. In addition, talk with your child’s teacher about the homework load. Sometimes the amount of time a teacher is thinking an assignment will take ends up being twice as long, so let them know if it is getting to be too much. For students with special needs, a continuing conversation with the teacher as well as counselors will go a long way to ensuring a happy school year both for the parents and for the child.

Gen Z is known as the “digital generation” and I think we can all see as parents how much they rely on devices. However, not surprisingly, Gen Z still sees value in using both analog and digital tools when it comes to learning and education. According to the Post-it® Brand Study, 93% of Gen Z believe students who write things down on paper get better grades. I have to agree from my own personal experience and from working with my kids to prepare for tests. We find that writing information down helps commit it to memory much better than just reading or saying it.

Conclusion on Tips For Getting Young Kids To Do Their Homework

Your homework routine should include some common elements: designated study space, consistent schedule, prioritization of tasks, breaks, use of organizational tools like planners, goal setting, and a support system. Parents, teachers, or tutors, should provide assistance and encouragement when needed. Turning off notifications, keeping phones away, and limiting access to distracting websites can help maintain focus during homework.

I hope you found these homework tips for parents helpful when assisting your child to create a positive homework experience. Working to establish a homework routine helps your child know what to expect and when. This helps them to create healthy habits with knowing that work comes before screen time but that active breaks are important too.

Related Posts:

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Reader Interactions

Alish shaikh says

September 24, 2022 at 6:05 am

Hi Thanks for this very extensive list of advice, tips, and insights. Keep it up.

Regards Alish Shaikh

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Articles > How to Establish a Homework Routine

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How to Establish a Homework Routine

A new school year has officially started and with it comes many fresh starts: new classrooms, new teachers, new books, and perhaps even new friends. Some students, however, carry with them old habits of losing papers, forgetting important books, and neglecting to turn in their work. Help your child create a stronger back-to-school routine and avoid these organizational woes with the ideas detailed below.

Establish a Homework Routine Setting up a regular homework routine at the start of the school year is a key component of organizational success. Some children enjoy completing their homework as soon as they get home, to “get it over with” and move on to more “fun” activities. Others need a small snack and are then ready to work, while many kids need a few hours to fully wind down before they are ready to work again. The key is to help your child determine a routine that works for him, then keep it consistent. Do what you can to help him stick with this routine. For instance, if he prefers a small snack before getting to work, try to have that snack ready for him as soon as he walks in the door. If he prefers to eat dinner before working, aim to have dinner ready at the same time each day. Consistency is key, as it will ultimately help him maintain his homework routine.

Set Up a Study Area Help your child to create a clean, well-organized study area where she completes her homework on a regular basis. This could be a desk in her bedroom, the kitchen table, a study desk in another room, or the like. This study area should be stocked with all the supplies she may need to complete her work – pens, pencils, loose leaf paper, highlighters, a sharpener, and so on. Help her organize the supplies into labeled containers or sections within drawers so that every item has a home. As the supplies quantities dwindle, be sure to refill them right away to avoid any unnecessary distractions in trying to look for these items.

Maintain an Organized Assignment Book Many students, especially those with executive functioning challenges, think they can remember all of their homework assignments and feel no need to write them down. Others use an assignment book only sparingly. Yet as students move through school and the workload increases, it becomes imperative that they learn to write down their assignments on a regular basis. Help your child develop stronger homework management skills and avoid missing assignments with this strategy: in his assignment book, he should create five columns for each day: ET (estimated time), AT (actual time), O (Order), D (Done), and Assignments (which should be the widest column). When he is at school, the only place where he should write down his assignments is in the assignment column. When he gets home and begins his work, he should start by looking at each assignment and deciding how long he thinks he each one will take – then write the ET, or estimated time, for each one in the ET column. Based on these estimated times, he should decide which assignment he wants to work on first, second, etc., and write the numbers (1,2,3, etc.) in the O column. Once he completes each assignment, he should write the AT, or actual time each one took to complete (usually in the beginning there is a big discrepancy between the ETs and ATs but as he practices this strategy, the times will start to merge as he becomes more realistic with his time). Finally, once the assignment is done *and put in the right place to be turned in* he should place a check mark in the D column. This strategy can help him develop stronger time management, organization, planning, and homework management – skills that are essential for school success.

Learn to Prioritize As students progress through school, they receive an increasing amount of assignments and projects. Help your child manage this rising workload by teaching her to prioritize and organize her assignments. For instance, a project that consists of researching, creating note cards, outlining, writing, and self-editing can seem overwhelming at first. To help ease her anxiety, look at the assignment with her and help her break down the large project into smaller, more manageable steps. Then assign a due date to each step and have her enter them into her assignment book with completion dates connected to each one. In doing so, she will feel calmer and more in control of her workload, and will feel successful as she completes each step.

At Home Organizational System As the school year progresses, the quantity of papers students receive seems to multiply, and many students leave this growing pile of (often crumbled) papers inside their backpacks or stuffed into their notebooks. Help your child develop an effective filing system to avoid this overload of papers. Try this 2-tier system: Tier 1 is his active note book, or the note book he carries to school with him on a regular basis. Tier 2 is an accordian file that stays at home and consists of three sections for every class: homework, notes, and tests/quizzes (math homework, math notes, math test/quizzes; science homework, science notes, etc.). He should designate once day per week to be his “clean out my active notebook day,” where he goes through his active notebook and removes any papers he doesn’t absolutely need to be carrying with him on a regular basis. He should file them into the appropriate section of his accordion file. Then, as quizzes or tests come up at a later date, he will know precisely where to find these important papers. As a result, he will be more organized, empowered, and in control of his paperload.

‎Starting a new school year can feel overwhelming for some students. Yet with these back-to-school ideas, your child will start the year feeling organized, confident, and ready for success.

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How to Set Up a Successful Homework Routine with Your Kids

January 4 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Image Credit: ©  John Bolland | homework | CC by 2.0

With a brand new year, many of us are looking for a fresh start so today I’ve got a professional organizer with us to help! She’s going to teach us all about how to help our kids become more independent in their homework routines. I love her suggestions and practical tips and have been using them at home with great success.  Here’s Lea with everything else you need…

Eventually, most parents want to stop doing homework. At least, I know I did.

As a mother of three, I had plenty of opportunity to help my kids with homework, quiz them for tests and round up poster board, markers and book report covers. It’s all part of the parenting job— but so is gradually teaching them how to manage on their own . Unless, of course, you plan to go off to college with them!

As a professional organizer, I realized we don’t often arm our kids with the tricks of organization we’ve learned throughout our life . At work, you probably have several “tools” you use to keep your job rolling along—even if you don’t think of them as tools.

Equipping your student with both the physical items for organization and fresh ideas on how to stay on top of time management are lessons that they will take off to college and beyond.

Learning how to pace out projects, large reading assignments and study time are the key elements in fostering homework independence. Learning to manage their time instead of waiting until the last minute is a big stress reliever for students and their parents.

Start by creating a study area for your child . Early on, they will be at the kitchen table, so you can frequently guide them. As they get older, encourage them to work independently and come find you as they get stuck. There are a lot of distractions in a common room like the kitchen or den. Find a quiet spot for them where they can read and concentrate.

Equip your area with a comfortable seat and surface. Add bright lighting and stock up on the school supplies needed most often, then try some of these organizational tips.

#1 – Look for Visual Cues

The more ways we can remind ourselves, the better. A large wipe-off to-do list ( see MPMK’s DIY version here ) is a great way to keep up with upcoming dates. Have your student note when important exams are coming up or when projects are due.

Make use of technology and try a free email reminder service. Enter reminders for important projects when the assignment is given, and the service will send the student reminders as the due date looms.

You can also teach them to carry a to-do list. Have them start each day by reviewing the previous day’s to-do list. Then, they can add new items all day to keep track of what needs to be done.

#2 – Get an “A” for Managing Reading

One of the hardest things for a student to do is get their assigned reading done on time. It always seems like there is more than enough time to read that book, then suddenly they have 200 pages to read by tomorrow.

At the start of each reading assignment, teach them to use a bit of math . Divide the number of pages to be read by the number of days there is to read them. Then slip in pieces of paper as markers for each day. Instead of telling your student to read for 20 minutes, tell them they need to read until they hit the next marker.

#3 – Adjust Their Study Space

Get serious about how and where your student studies. Create an environment that is conducive to work.

Invest in some grown-up methods for handling paperwork . Often, students simply do not know what to do with their completed papers. Some teachers require them to be kept in a notebook. Beyond that, students are lost.

Get a paper stacker . As they clear their backpack, they can sort papers by subject. Or, use hanging file folders in a file box or desk drawer for the same purpose.

The older your student gets, the more likely they will be to have cumulative exams. Having all the papers from a subject on hand is a great help for studying . It also can help them focus on their weak areas to shore them up. Not only that, giving them a home for papers teaches them to put papers away and stay organized—a trait many adults wish had been instilled in them from a young age.

#4 – Calendarize Everything

Teach your student to really use a calendar. Here’s another great one for younger kids under $10!

Since older kids are glued to their phone, a calendar app is a great way to go. Look for one that shows the whole day in an hourly layout. Show students how to block out the school day, sports practices, after-school jobs and other items. This will clearly show them the open windows of time they have to allocate to studying or homework.

When your student differs with you about when to do homework, have them show you their calendar and point out when they are free and committed to getting it done. Often students feel they have the whole day or whole week ahead of them to complete homework. Seeing their time mapped out in front of them is really helpful for proper time management.

Keep in mind that learning organizational techniques happens a bit at a time . Each idea you introduce becomes one more step towards your student learning how to manage their own time.

*Post contains affiliate links.

Lea Schneider is a mother and professional organizer who helps clients organize their homes and lives. She provides tips on creating homework stations for busy students with desk organizers and wall calendars. To view some wall decor options to help organize your student’s space, visit The Home Depot.

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Homework can be the bane of the school year and can often be the source of much drama in the household. “Where is my notebook?” “Have you seen my backpack?” and of course the often-used “Is your homework done?!”

Instead of playing into the drama, why not make your home set-up a point of calm amongst the chaos, and set your children up for success by creating (or updating) an incredible homework station.

Teaching your kids how to keep themselves organized is such an important skill. Tasks such as time management, tidying workspaces, and project preparation will not only help them with school work, but also with life and the challenges it brings as they continue to learn and grow.

As organizers, we have used these tips to create homework stations for elementary school aged children onwards and they can easily be applied to families looking to refresh their existing systems for kids of any age.

And big bonus – your kids will love their new work space so much, they may actually be excited to do their homework!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our  disclosure  policy.

PIN for when you’re ready to organize!

FIND THE SPACE

First things first, you’ll need to find a room or space in your home that works for your child. Depending on their age and how much assistance they require, this spot could be in a communal room (think kitchen or family room) or at a desk in their own room.

The ultimate goal is to get them working in a proper set-up with a table and chair instead of working from their lap – this way they establish good habits, can properly work on their handwriting and have room to spread out all their materials.

To spark your creative juices, we’ve pulled  30 of our favorite homework station examples  to serve as inspiration:

• Dual Desks from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Fold Down Desk via  This Old House
• Rustic 3-Desk Set-Up via  Postbox Designs
• Closet Transformation from  This Old House
• Homework Station for 4 via  Householdno6.
• Modern Loft Study Area via  Houzz
• Display Wall Station via  Houzz
• Dual Closet Homework Station via  Houzz
• Hallway Station via  Jen Hannotte for Houzz

• 2 Desk Work Station via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Double Sided Desk from  Better Homes & Gardens
• Closet Study Area via  iheartorganizing
• Family Room Homework Space via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Classic Desks via  Classy Clutter
• Walk-in Closet Transformation via  Petite Party Studio
• Kids Homework Station via  Clean and Scentsible
• Freestanding Table via  Houzz
• Colorful Workstation for Four via  Houzz
• Study Nook from  @littlelibertyrooms

• Chalkboard Wall via  Houzz
• Station Under the Stairs via  Houzz
• Hallway Homework Station from  @ninaandcecilia
• Double Desk Space from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Hanging Chair Hideout via  Houzz
• PBTeen Sleep & Study Loft Bed
• DIY Kids Art & Homework Station via  Craft-O-Maniac
• Tri Station via  Juvenile Hall Design
• Pull-Down Hallway Station from  Sand and Sisal
• Homework Nook with Chalkboard via  By Dawn Nicole
• DIY Homework Station from  Tatertots & Jello

Now, if finding a dedicated desk space isn’t possible, consider making your own mobile supply station that can be easily moved in and out of the space (like the kitchen table) when it’s homework time.

We love these smart DIY ideas for a portable study station:

• Dollar Store Portable Homework Caddy via  Simple Made Pretty
• Mobile Homework Station Cart from  Design Improvised
• Ikea Raskog Homework Station via  Smashed Peas and Carrots
• DIY Organizer from  Sprinkle Some Fun
• Homework Study Station via  Mom Advice
• Side of Fridge Storage via  the 36 th  Avenue
• DIY Homework Station Turntable from  Mom On Timeout
• Over the Door Organizer from  A Bowl Full of Lemons
• Freestanding Homework Station via  Simply Organized
• DIY Cutlery & Canning Jar Caddy via  Clean Mama

MAKE IT COMFORTABLE + FUNCTIONAL

Select a good desk chair that is both comfy and supportive. You don’t want a chair to be the reason that your kids are gravitating to doing their homework on the couch!

A few of our all-time favorite options:

• PBTeen Ergo Chair
• Land of Nod Class Act Mint & Gold Desk Chair
• Land of Nod Toto Desk Chair
• PBTeen Emily & Meritt Bed of Roses Airgo Chair
• PBTeen Rockin’ Roller Desk Chair
• Walmart Kids Retro Molded Chair
• Home Depot Modway Edge Office Chair
• PBTeen Northfield Wingback Chair
• Walmart Urban Shop Swivel Mesh Chair

Although it may seem obvious, having a  trash/recycle can  near their desk will encourage them to not only throw out their old papers, but also (perhaps with a little coaxing), to purge the garbage from their backpacks on a regular basis.

GET IT ORGANIZED

Wall Organization

Hang up a cork, magnetic or pin board for your kids to put papers, reminders and a calendar. This is a space that should be within reach of their desk so they can easily add/remove important items on a regular basis. It can also give them a chance to decorate and personalize their space – hopefully inspiring them to actually use it!

There are so many amazing wall organizing systems available – take a look at some of these incredible ideas:

• PBTeen Cubby System Pinboard
• PBKids Build Your Own Modern Gabrielle System
• Land of Nod Stick With Me Magnet Bar
• Land of Nod Cloud Corkboard
• Target Bulletin Board with Chalkboard & Hooks
• Umbra Trigon Bulletin Board
• Sweet Jojo Designs Pinboard
• PBTeen Dot Pin-It Pinboard
• Land of Nod Beaumont White Shelving System
• Land of Nod Colorblock Corkboard Letters
• PBKids Butterfly Shaped Pinboard

DESK ORGANIZATION

Having supplies within reach of the workspace is key to their productivity (there needn’t be twelve trips around the house looking for the tools they need to complete each project!).

If there’s room on their workspace, consider keeping their supplies neatly organized in one of these nifty containers:

• Land of Nod I Could’ve Bin a Things Bin
• PBKids Rainbow Shaped Pencil Holder
• PBKids Candy Canisters
• Land of Nod Perfect Pitch Storage Caddy
• Lani Ang 4-Grid Desktop Organizer
• PBKids Printed Metal Lazy Susans
• Container Store Acrylic Accessory Drawers
• Land of Nod Multicolor Desk Accessories  
• Target Room Essentials Desktop Storage Unit

A version of these supply caddies can also be made for the road as there are often times that your child won’t be home when it comes time for homework (ie. at a sibling’s after-school sporting event!). Capitalize on that travel and waiting time with a to-go bag of their most needed supplies. We especially love  this portable storage one .

Make cleanup easier on everyone by using labels on your supply containers/caddy. This will help teach your children how to maintain their space and hopefully put an end to the continuing cycle of them asking where to put things when they are cleaning up.

We love  this no-fuss, inexpensive labeler  and also check out  these cool reusable chalk board labels .

As your kids get older, homework will often require the use of technology, which means cord and charging chaos! Keep their space tidy from the cord clutter by using some of these ingenious products and hacks to help cables stay neat and handy for when it’s time to plug in and charge.

• Cable Sleeve
• Container Store  Cable Twisters
• Cable Management Box
• Cable Catch

ESTABLISH GOOD HABITS

Time Management

Give them the tools to manage their own time  by keeping a clock or timer at their workspace . Setting time limits for each subject can help them stay on track and is a life skill that will bode them well in life after school.

If you haven’t heard of  the Time Timer  before, it is an ingenious tool that visually shows your child how much time they have left for a certain task. It is easy for them to set themselves, and they don’t need to know how to read a clock in order to understand the concept of time diminishing.

Subject Management

Help keep your child’s different subjects organized with  color-coded file folders  (1) — for instance, green for science, blue for english, etc. — so they can keep their notes organized on their desk and in their book bag.

A  simple file folder organizer  can help keep their most important documents at arm’s reach ( this one  (2) even has some extra storage underneath!). If there’s not enough room on your desk for one, try  this nifty cascade folder  (3) that you can hang on the wall when working, and collapse and bring with you on-the-go!

In/Out Parent Bins

There’s always a plethora of school paperwork and updates that need to get safely into your hands. Consider setting up some  in and out bins  where your kids can drop off any papers that need to be signed or seen by a parent. You can then go through them each night, and put any that need to be returned to school in the “out” bin, ready for them to pick up in the morning and pack in their backpacks. With a little practice, this can be an extremely effective method that can be used all the way through high school!

It is vital for older children to start learning how to manage their own calendar. Whether it’s a  desktop planner , or a  large dry-erase calendar  that can hang on the wall, it’s a great way for them to visually see what tests and assignments are coming up, so they can manage their time accordingly.

Form a Routine

Now you’ve got their work space expertly organized, help your child form a routine of  when  they do their homework. It could be as soon as they come home after a snack, after ½ an hour of “down” time or after dinner. Whatever you decide, help them stick to their routine for the first few weeks by setting a timer or providing gentle guidance. Hopefully with their new homework station in place, they’ll feel a real sense of ownership and be excited to get down to work!

After their homework is complete, consider helping them put a routine in place that will help make the morning rush less hectic. It could be as simple as establishing a nightly backpack check ensuring that all the books and papers needed for the next day are all packed away. Or having them place their packed backpack in a designated space (preferably near the door!) so there isn’t a mad scramble to find it in the morning.

RELATED:  For more smart tips and hacks for smooth morning routines see our popular post:  67 Life Changing Organization Tips & Hacks For Stress-Free Mornings

So there you have it mamas, tons of tips and inspiration to create the ultimate Homework Station. We wish you much success in the homework drama and hope you’ll never have to ask “is your homework done?” ever again!

Pssst – before you go, we’d love to have you  join our What Moms Love community  and we’ll hook you up with all of our exclusive resources including our popular  10 Screen-Free Toys For Guaranteed Quiet Time  (this is seriously a game changer mamas!),  Holiday/Birthday Coupon Book for Kid s  and  35 Food Subs & Swaps for Healthy Family Meals . Just let us know where to send all your goodies!

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MICHELLE HALE & ANNIE DRADDY

About The Authors:

Michelle and Annie are co-founders of  Henry & Higby , a professional organizing company in New York City. They believe that life should be as simple as possible and that the process of getting organized can help.

If you need help organizing your life & home, contact them at  [email protected]

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Wow, these homework stations are amazing! Almost too pretty to work at. Haha. I like the wall organization ideas the most. Always good to get stuff up and off the desk!

Wow, this post is pack full of good ideas! I think it is so important to have a fun, bright station that get kids actually excited to do their homework! Beautiful post.

So much inspiration here!!! My oldest just started kindergarten but I want to have good habits established early and these ideas are great!

These are amazing ideas!! I’m saving for the future

Always such helpful posts! Thank you!

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The Importance of a Daily Schedule for Kids with ADHD: Sample Routines and More

Children with adhd need routine. reliable schedules for mornings, after school, and bedtime make a tremendous difference in setting expectations, building good habits, and improving add-related behavior. use these recommended templates to wrangle your family’s time..

You’ve heard it before: Set up a morning routine for kids with ADHD to get out the door on time. Make sure homework happens at the same time and in the same setting daily. Do something fun to unwind before a regular bedtime.

On paper, this seems pretty basic. But when you’re raising a child with real attention difficulties in the real world, setting and maintaining such routines can seem downright hopeless. Yet there is hope — even happiness — in sight.

Many well-intentioned parents enthusiastically start out to establish the structure their children need. Yet many throw in the towel after a few weeks (or even a few days) because the routines are not working. “Billy just won’t listen. He doesn’t want to go along with it. Every day becomes a battle, and we’re all worn out. Is there something else we can try?”

Usually, trying to implement a daily schedule doesn’t work because parents give up too soon. To make structure truly effective, routines need to be seen and implemented not just as simple behavioral strategies, but as a way of life.

[ Get These Free Sample Schedules for Reliable Family Routines ]

The Benefits of Putting Your Child on a Schedule

Routines affect life positively on two levels. In terms of behavior, they help improve efficiency and daily functioning. It may not always be obvious, but children want and need routines. A predictable schedule offers structure that helps kids feel safe and secure. By building one, you send a message that says, “This is how we do things.” Routines make daily activities manageable, allowing your child to focus on one thing at a time.

In addition, your whole family will benefit psychologically from a structured regime. Both parents and children experience decreased stress when there’s less drama about what time you’ll eat dinner and where you’ll settle down to do homework.

What follows is a relaxed home, which yields stronger family relationships. And family identity is solidified by routines in which everyone plays a role (Anna sets the table, Brian clears the dishes). The message: We are a family who eats together; we are a family who reads together; we are a family who schedules regular times for schoolwork and other ongoing responsibilities.

In these hectic times, it may seem impossible to provide a structured lifestyle. Everyone is juggling schedules: work, school, recreation, music lessons, basketball practice, and so on. Yet in just such times, structure becomes most important. The payoff: greater productivity for your child, as well as better health and family relationships.

[ Click to Read: How Can I Develop Routines to Keep My Life from Falling Apart? ]

A review of 50 years of psychological research, recently published in Journal of Family Psychology , shows that even infants and preschoolers are healthier and exhibit better-regulated behavior when there are predictable routines in the family.

Effective routines take commitment and consistency, with all family adults presenting a united front. Routines should be established when children are young and applied consistently as they grow — but it’s never too late to start. Above all, don’t give up.

Here are suggestions and some sample routines to help get you started. Of course, you’ll want to amend them to suit the age and maturity of your child, the specific behaviors you are working on, and your family’s personality and needs. As you develop your routines, remember that success takes time — sometimes months and years. But the benefits will last a lifetime.

Good Mornings Start with Your Child’s Schedule

The goal of the morning routine is to get everyone ready and out the door on time. Preparations made the night before, such as bathing, packing bookbags, laying out clothes, setting the alarm, and making lunch, are crucial in setting up a smooth morning routine.

Because many children (and adults) with ADHD are highly distractible and impulsive, avoid stimuli that are likely to grab attention and throw the routine off course. For example:

• Leave the TV off in the morning.
• Don’t get on the computer to check your e-mails.
• Ignore that new magazine or catalog until after school or later that evening.

After School Schedule: Homework Helpers

It’s often said that the only consistent thing about children with ADHD is their inconsistency. This is particularly problematic when it comes to academic effort. No activity demands greater structure and consistency than homework, when a child’s ability to self-regulate is called upon. Not surprisingly, parent-child homework battles are common. But an established study routine (time, place, methods) goes a long way toward decreasing their frequency and intensity – if not eliminating them entirely. To establish a homework routine that will improve productivity and increase academic achievement:

• Enforce a consistent start time. This will help your child build a homework habit.
• Stay close to your child. Many children with ADHD concentrate better when an adult works with them or is nearby.
• Take breaks. Distractibility, restlessness, difficulty maintaining concentration, and low frustration tolerance — all typical of ADHD — almost guarantee mental fatigue and boredom. Frequent short breaks, during which the child is allowed to move around, can help.
• Have fun afterward. Your child is more likely to apply herself to homework when she knows that a fun activity, such as playing a game or watching TV, will follow.

A Consistent Dinnertime Schedule

For hundreds of years, family members have forged strong relationships around the dinner table. In this age of the Internet and TV movies on demand, a dinner ritual is still beneficial, if not crucial. While most mealtimes last only about 20 minutes (less time than a TV sitcom), a lot of good things can happen in that short time. Ideally, mealtimes should be a pleasant social time, with business, school, or family problems left off the table. It takes time and work to prepare a family meal, and it can be a hassle getting everyone together at one time, but you’ll find the benefits are well worth the effort:

• Family members stay connected to one another’s lives.
• Events are discussed and plans get made with everyone’s input.
• Responsibility and family cohesion are encouraged by such simple acts as children setting the table and cleaning up afterwards.

Good Nights Begin with a Bedtime Routine

Your goal at bedtime is to help your child wind down and get to sleep at a usual time. Research shows that children with regular bedtime routines get to sleep sooner and awaken less often during the night than those without them. Many children with ADHD fight bedtime because, quite simply, going to bed is boring to them. It’s time for sleep, but there’s still so much they can do! Routines that offer rewards and pleasant activity while encouraging relaxation can help overcome the boredom of bedtime. Some things to try:

• Have a light, healthy snack , like an apple or cheese on a rice cake.
• Play a quiet, low-stakes game, or read a book.
• Have a sweet and personal nightly lights-out ritual.
• Try to get your child into bed at the same time each evening.

There’s no question that establishing family routines takes a great deal of time and effort. You may ask yourself, “Can we afford the time and the energy to do all of this?” A better question might be, “Can we afford not to?”

[ Read This Next: If Your Mornings Are Hell, Read This ]

ADHD Organization Help: A Sample Schedule

7:00 a.m. Tickle your child out of bed. (A little happy energy can get her up and moving quickly.)

7:05 a.m. Get ready: Post a list and have your child stick to it.

• Get dressed. (Clothes are laid out the night before.) Check to see how your child is doing, but let her follow the list and do for herself.

7:20 a.m. Breakfast time: Offer two healthy but appealing choices, max. You want her to spend her time eating, not pining over Lucky Charms.

7:45 a.m. Brush your teeth—together. Being with her can speed things up and insure good hygiene.

7:55 a.m. Zip, tie, and layer up. Keeping shoes and gloves by the front door spares you the hide-and-seek.

8:00 a.m. Out you go.

Sample Homework Routine

3:00 p.m. Have a snack and unwind from school.

3:30 p.m. Settle your child at his regular homework spot; be sure all tools are available (pencils, paper, calculator, reference books, etc.).

3:35 – 4:30 p.m. Your child does homework; you stay around to answer questions and monitor breaks (stretch, bathroom, drink).

4:25 p.m. Check his work, and calmly go over anything he should edit (but don’t do it for him). Offer specific praise for good work.

Sample Dinner Routine

6:00 p.m. Parent(s) starts food prep. Organize preparation so that you can avoid the delay of mealtime.

6:15 p.m. Kids set the table. Give them specific tasks to instill a sense of responsibility.

6:30 p.m. Kids pour the beverages.

6:45 p.m. Parent(s) brings the food out to the table.

7:00 p.m. Dinner is served. For mealtime talk, try this: Go around the table—once or more—and have each person share one good thing about his or her day.

7:30 p.m. Kids clear the table. Parent(s) loads the dishwasher.

Sample Bedtime Routine

8:00 p.m. Let him relax in the tub. You can read to him or he can read to himself. Beyond cleanliness, a bath can help a child mellow out at day’s end.

8:20 p.m. Three-part routine: dry off, brush teeth, and pee. You don’t want to hear, “Mom, I have to go to the bathroom!” five minutes after you say goodnight.

8:30 p.m. Get into PJs and clean up toys to set a nighttime, not a playtime, scenario.

8:40 p.m. Read together.

8:55 p.m. Your child gets into bed. Do your nighttime routine: Talk a little about the day, compliment your child on the things he did well, say your ritual goodnight — “I love you all the way to the moon and back again. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

[ Download This Guide: Organize Everything Today! ]

Peter Jaksa, Ph.D., is a member of ADDitude’s  ADHD Medical Review Panel .

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Android Police

How to set up google home household routines.

Automation for everyone at home

Google Assistant household routines streamline your day with useful automation. These can be triggered at predefined times or by specific actions, such as your arrival home. In addition, you can link them with smart home devices to create advanced automation. Household routines can be set on your smartphone and shared with members of your household. They work for you and allow any member of your Google Home household to edit these routines. Let's see how they work and how to create them.

How to use Google Assistant Routines

What are google assistant household routines.

Before we look at how household routines work, it's important to understand what they are. Google Assistant household routines are designed to be shared and used by everyone in your home. This contrasts with personal routines, which are only accessible to the person who created them.

With household routines, any family member who's part of your Google household can view and edit household routines. This allows the creation of routines that benefit everyone, such as a "Good Morning" routine that turns on the lights and starts the coffee pot for the family.

These routines can be voice-activated using the smart speakers in your home, automated, and triggered based on a schedule or other smart home devices.

How to access household routines

Like personal routines, household routines can be triggered using Google Assistant . They work on most Android phones, Nest speakers, and smart displays. They are accessed and managed using the Google Home app, which acts as a hub to centralize your smart home devices and how they interact with each other.

To access them on your smartphone, open the Google Home app and tap Automations . Your household routines appear at the top of the screen. These are the ones shared with your family. Personal routines appear on the same screen and are available to you but not the rest of your household. Any family member can access this screen to edit their routines or create a shortcut to their Android phone's home screen.​

On Android, you can add a shortcut to a routine on your home screen. Access the routine, as described above, and tap the shortcut button in the upper-right corner.

How to create a household routine

Creating a household routine works the same way as a personal one. Here's how it's done:

• On your smartphone, open the Google Home app.
• Tap Automations .
• Tap the + Add button in the lower-right corner.
• Select Household.
• Give your routine a name.
• Select the starters for your routine. These are the elements that trigger it. They can be a key phrase you say to Google Assistant, a specific time, or when a smart home device does something.

How to edit your household routine

Now you know how Google Assistant household routines work and how to create them. Because any family member can access and edit them, double-check who's in your Google household and learn how to add new family members.

• Tap the Settings button in the lower-right corner.
• Under your home name and address, a list of pictures shows who's in your household. Tap it to edit the household members.
• To invite a new family member to the household, tap invite person . They need a Google account to join the household.
• Remove them from the household by tapping the trash icon in the upper-right corner.
• Review their access rights by tapping Access details .
• Review which devices they can control by tapping Devices .

Automate your house for more convenience

Google Assistant makes it easy to create routines and automation for your family. Still, you are limited in the triggers you can use and the actions you can make smart home devices perform. You can use Assistant routines in addition to other services, such as IFTTT or Alexa Routines . These are easy to set up and use and don't require the use of specific devices. For example, use Alexa routines to create a DIY smart home security system without using Echo speakers or smart displays.

If Assistant routines are enough for what you want to achieve, you don't need to use additional services. Keep them in mind if you want to expand your smart home ecosystem without purchasing new devices or changing how you interact with existing ones.

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Jessel Taank’s gift picks include the skincare routine she swears by — and it’s just two steps

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Before she wraps Season 15 of “Real Housewives of New York,” Jessel Taank just might be wrapping up some special surprises for Mother’s Day.

“I’m probably going to gift the whole cast. I think everyone has innate mother characteristics in them, and so every woman should be celebrated regardless of if they’re moms or not,” the Ōushq founder tells Page Six Style, noting that Mother’s Day can be “isolating in some ways.”

The Bravoleb — who’s been open about IVF and her own journey to motherhood — has a lot to celebrate this Mother’s Day, as her 2-year-old twins’ birthday happens to fall on the holiday. (“I’m going a little bit crazy,” she says of planning a celebration the same day.)

Below, Taank shares a few of the gift-worthy products she’s loving right now — all of which are more than just up and coming .

U Beauty Duo

“It’s one of those trendy products that has gotten a lot of buzz, but I can absolutely see why. It’s just the simplest skincare routine. I feel like a lot of moms I know get really overwhelmed with toners and serums and moisturizers. This is just a two-step beauty routine that I do before bed.”

Sakara Meal Kit Subscription

“I think it’s one of the most beautiful yet extremely tasty meal programs. I just started the Balance program, and it’s so easy just to open the fridge and have a beautifully prepared meal ready and waiting for you. It just makes you feel very energized and ready to tackle the day.

“The presentation is insane … it’s making my life easier, and I think it’s a really nice, thoughtful thing to do for a mom.”

Demarson Pearl Miley Hoop Earrings

“I’ve been really enjoying a brand called De Marson. They do these beautiful, very modern, clean earrings, so I feel like you can’t go wrong. One of my favorite items from them is the Miley Hoop; they go with everything and are so beautiful.”

Demme by Gabriela Shannyn Dress

“I just launched a designer on Ōushq, and her dresses are sensational. I actually thought of my own mom, because it’s a classic silhouette, and I think moms would really enjoy wearing it.”

Merit The Box Set

“I’m obsessed. It’s the best packaging and it looks great. The colors are amazing.”

CB2 Ceyne Golden Marble Picture Frame

“Every night when I put my kids to bed, I look at pictures and videos [of them] like a freaking stalker. I think that something really sweet to give a mother is a beautiful photo that’s framed.”

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Tips for working remotely

Establish a routine 

When working at home, you don’t have the boundaries of a professional office to get you on a schedule. You have to create a rhythm for your day. First, decide how you like to start each workday. This could include checking email or making a list of priority tasks. Scheduling movement and mental breaks that fit within your designated work hours is also important. Establishing a schedule and routine can help you balance your day and stay focused on work. 

Create a workspace 

Choose a dedicated work area in your home. If possible, invest in a desk and chair where you can work comfortably throughout the day. Establish a separate space from the rest of your living space that you only use for work-related activities. It can also help you focus when your workspace is organized and tidy. Ensure you have the necessary supplies to complete your work responsibilities including notebooks, pens, headphones, etc. 

Maintain clear communication 

Communicating regularly with your manager and peers can help you understand your goals, priorities and project timeframes. You can use email, your team’s preferred messaging platform (like Microsoft Teams or Slack), or other technology to stay connected. Ask your manager to set up regular meetings to check in and ask questions. Regular communication can also help your manager to know your workload and help prevent burnout. When you communicate often, you can address issues before they become problematic. 

Understand technology 

Remote work requires technology that works properly. Ensure you have the proper hardware and software to meet your job expectations. Stay up to date with any maintenance or system updates. Talk with your manager about how you use technology and ask questions if you are unsure how to use specific systems. While it can feel awkward not knowing how to use a tool and needing to ask questions for help, it is better than pretending you understand. 

Transition between home and office 

If you work a hybrid schedule, understand the difference between the days you work at home and those you go into the office. Consider how you may need to adjust your schedule to meet the demands of each work modality. For example, do you need to get up earlier on the day you go into the office, or is it helpful to pack lunch the night before? Also, consider whether you are more productive when you work remotely or in the office and communicate that with your manager.

Find support 

Career Services is here to help you be successful in your transition to work, whether hybrid, remote or in the office. You can meet with a career advisor , connect to the Forever Buffs Network and review the Remote Work Toolkit .