STRESS-FREE HOMEWORK TIME!

by Sharon Fuentes

School is back in session which means HOMEWORK! Whether you like it or not, you have to do it. Trouble is that in our houses homework time can be even more stressful. Trying to read and study while your sister or brother is in the other room humming or watching his favorite episode of Blues Clues for the 30th time in a row is not easy! But with a little bit of planning and a lot of communication it can be a whole lot easier.

To begin with you need to talk to your mom and dad. Tell them how stressed out you are. They will appreciate you being open and honest and will do whatever they can to help out. A lot of times us parents get caught up in nagging and don’t really understand that there may be a reason why you are not buckling down and doing your homework. Don’t know what type of things you should talk about to help create a Stress Free Homework Zone? NEVER FEAR… Shout Out Online Magazine is here!

TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Just like your autistic sibling does better with a structured schedule… so will you when it comes to homework. Figure out what works best for you and your family. Take into consideration after school activities, therapy and doctor appointments. Perhaps starting homework right away would be more stressful then just waiting to do it after dinner. Or maybe waiting until 4pm after little brother finishes watching his favorite TV show with the theme song that grates on your nerves is a wiser choice. Whatever you decide though, you need to do it. If mom says homework time is 5-6 every night… then that means HOMEWORK TIME IS BETWEEN 5-6. Besides, procrastination only increases anxiety.

LOCATION,LOCATION, LOCATION
Now that you know when homework time is, you need to figure out WHERE you are going to do it. Choose a place with good lighting, a sturdy table or work space and as free from distractions as possible. That nice comfy chair by the front window might seem like a good place to study. However, if you look out and see your neighbors playing in the street you are not going to feel like doing your homework any more are you?

EAT AN ELEPHANT
There is an old saying that goes: “What’s the best way to eat an elephant? ONE BITE AT A TIME!” This applies to homework too. Sometimes homework all together can look well… as big as an elephant. Get into the habit of breaking it up into smaller bites. If a page full of math problems seems overwhelming, fold the page in half so you only see half of them at a time. Do you still need to do all the problems? Yes, of course but looking at half a page at a time sure doesn’t seem as daunting!

Do you have some stress free homework tips that work for you? Leave a comment and share it with us all!