3 reasons why you shouldn't do homework with your child

Many parents believe that if they don't monitor homework, their children will do poorly in school. But researchers from the University of Texas have proven otherwise.

They collected data on how parental involvement in the teaching process affects grades and found that parental help was useless in elementary school; it negatively affected test results in middle and high school.

Bright Sidehas compiled what can happen if parents help their children do some homework.

1. Children lose motivation to learn

According to the study, the more involved parents were in the homework process with their children, the less motivated they were to learn. Children whose parents sat next to them and told them what to do, controlled every step, and even did the homework for them, had the lowest motivation to learn. In contrast, children who dreamed and tried new things when their parents let them complete their homework on their own were more likely to do so.

As a parent, try to loosen the reins and only help when your child asks for your opinion. However, you should explain to your child what they don’t understand, but don’t do it for them completely. In case your child doesn’t want to do their homework, according to psychologist Lyudmila Petranovskaya, you should: acknowledge their feelings, admit that writing a 10-line letter is boring; and then share with your child your method for completing the task.

2. Children will not learn to be responsible.

By doing homework for your child, controlling the process, and punishing them for bad grades, you are taking responsibility for their learning, which means you are taking your child away from what they need to do.

According to Lyudmila Petranovskaya, raising a child by “putting a carrot on a stick” does them no favors because it can affect their perception of life as adults. Punishment and praise should be about making choices. Let consequences happen. “Did you forget your teacher’s drawing assignment? That means you’ll have to do that instead of playing video games. Did you not do your homework? You need to explain it to your teacher yourself.”

3. The relationship between parents and children is damaged

"Homework is done. Mom's voice is hoarse. My ears are ringing from all the yelling. The neighbor learned the poem by heart. And the dog can recite everything" is something you might joke about when talking about someone teaching their child. But when it comes to homework with your child, it's really not a joke.

Instead of controlling every task, psychologists recommend building a trusting relationship with your child and spending more time together. Read, discuss what's happening in science and the world, and find new fun things to do together. Love is more important than grades.