After extra-murals comes homework and only then comes time watching TV, playing games on devices and the like. If you put this boundary in place from the very beginning you won’t be fighting, nagging and arguing later on.
When it comes to doing homework at the end of a long day, it can be a bit of a mission to motivate your kids to be enthusiastic about what has to be done. They have already spent hours in class with pens, pencils and paper and now they must do more of the same.
I often talk about being a source of magic, wonder and surprise for your children — not every day, but from time-to-time, and when you are wearing your homework motivator hat, this is the time to pull a cat out of that hat. Now here is the trick to keep up your sleeve for those desperate moments — change the medium!
Life will bring all of our children a dose of interference from time-to-time. This might make them angry, anxious, depressed or upset. These feelings are normal, as long as they are short- lived and appropriately managed for the lessons they can teach and the growth they bring, albeit uncomfortable or even painful at the time.
Something clicked “Something’s clicked!” were my sister’s words to me when we were discussing her six year old daughter’s progress on the tennis court.
“I don’t know what’s happened but it’s starting to come together,” she added. It reminded me of my boys when they first started off in the game (as with any other sport). To begin with, their shots were almost mechanical in their execution – they were paying attention to every aspect of the shot, overemphasising each movement, making it look awkward.
In all the rush and hurry of going back to school, public holidays and settling into new schedules and routines, there is a lot than needs to be done, but in amongst it all, don't forget to be emotionally present. Ensure you are not just micro-managing and 'doing' your child like a project, but enjoy moments of 'being' with your child too.