Homework
John's Most Recent Articles
A 3-Point Plan to Get Kids to Do Their Own Homework
Posted on 8/16/2022
Q: The school our 10-year-old daughter attends believes parents should micromanage homework sessions – they call it “being a homework buddy.” As a consequence, our daughter believes we...
Read MoreShould I Tell My Best Friend to Discipline Her Bratty, Bossy Daughter?
Posted on 5/17/2022
Q: My best friend’s 6-year-old daughter is an only child and a spoiled brat. She screams at her parents when she doesn’t get her way, always wants to be first at everything and is extremely bossy...
Read MoreMom, Stop Checking Kid’s Homework
Posted on 4/6/2021
Many times have I warned parents of the pitfalls of micromanaging their children’s academic responsibilities lest said children deduce that the responsibilities in question are not theirs at all...
Read MoreMicromanaging Child Always Produces Conflicts
Posted on 2/23/2021
A therapist takes a 10-year-old boy into what she calls “therapy.” The young fellow is belligerently defiant toward his parents and throws titanic tantrums when things don’t go his way. At school...
Read MoreThe Great Pre-K Debate
Posted on 8/28/2018
It has long been known, but only spoken of in hushed tones by university professors sitting in darkened rooms wearing Fat Elvis masks, that pre-Kindergarten “jump-start” (aka, “push-down”)...
Read MoreApache Blackhawk Parenting
Posted on 9/23/2014
A second-grade teacher writes: “I teach in a very competitive school where parents have developed a ‘mob mentality’ for bullying administrators and teachers. They have gone beyond helicopter...
Read MoreParents Helping with Homework
Posted on 9/9/2014
Q: I homeschooled my oldest, an 8-year-old boy, until this year. He started third grade in public school in August. As a homeschooling mom, I was not a micromanager and don’t want to...
Read MoreTo Help or Not To Help?
Posted on 6/3/2014
I recently asked a group of 50 teachers: “Raise your hand if you agree that when a child comes to an adult asking for help with an academic problem, the adult should help.” ...
Read MoreThe ABCs of Staying out of Homework
Posted on 9/3/1989
In last week's column, I said that for a child to benefit from homework, the child must have full "ownership" of the responsibility. Parents should help when help is truly needed, but must be...
Read MoreRecent Questions
12 yr old boy acting up at school, then covering it up
Posted on 2/27/2024
Our 12 y/o son, who attends a small Christian school, was disciplined at school for crude jesters, at the lunch table in regards to a banana. In his meeting with principle, he was to write letter...
Read MoreTechnology and the Preteen Boy
Posted on 4/26/2023
Aloha, I want to use the weekly ticket system, or throwing the child out of the garden, to discipline my 12 year old son (6th grade). The problem lies in that much of the homework now is given...
Read MoreHomeschooling Mom Seeks Advice
Posted on 10/19/2022
Thank you for your previous response on helping my son with learning and recommending ending the homework hassle book. I am reading it and looking at ways to apply what is said in to our...
Read MoreTurn Wasting Time into Making Time
Posted on 5/6/2021
Our 14 year old son has been home schooled this year with a combination of online classes with teachers and online self paced classes. He is struggling with time management. He is behind in most...
Read MoreGoal: Handle Homework Independently
Posted on 3/4/2021
I know I’ve read in one of your books or perhaps somewhere on your website a suggestion for how elementary school age kids can practice spelling words on their own. At the time, I didn’t have a...
Read MorePut and End to Nagging Over Chores
Posted on 3/4/2021
Would love some feedback on chores for my 6 and 8 year olds. Every Saturday they are expected to each clean their own mirror and sink in the bathroom, clean either the play room or their bedroom...
Read MoreDifficult is Not Bad
Posted on 12/2/2020
I am homeschooling my Grandson, who is in first grade. He is a bright child, but not motivated for school. He has struggled with handwriting and anything which requires manual dexterity, or fine...
Read MoreSchool Performance Ultimately Belongs to the Student
Posted on 8/20/2020
My son is going in the 3rd grade and so far has had great performance at school both with academics and behavior. When school went virtual in the spring, it was a horrible few months for both of...
Read MoreAssist with Homework - or Not?
Posted on 7/23/2020
Based on the book The Well Behaved Child, what age/grade should a parent stop assisting with homework?
Read MoreTopics Covered
- Academic Issues
- ADHD and other disorders
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- Aggression
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- Alpha Speech
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- Bill of Rights for Children
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- Boundaries
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- Chores/Responsibilities
- College
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- Daycare/Preschool
- Depression/Self-Harm
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- Discipline Methods (e.g. time-out)
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- Homeschooling
- Homework
- John's Discipline Methods
- Juvenile Antisocial Behavior
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- Manners
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- Miscellaneous Editorial Columns
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