AS PARENTS when helping our children with their homework we can offer structure, encouragement and quality control, while keeping the balance and avoiding spoon feeding our children.

Some top tips when helping children with their homework are:

• Encourage home study from an early stage. Read for fun, engage your little ones with number games and puzzles, when out walking look at numbers and patterns. Encourage your little ones to write poems and stories about them and their hobbies.

• Have a regular home work time and keep to it, when your children are old enough work with them to find when they work best.

• Allow your child time to snack and relax directly after school before starting homework.

• Give a 10, five and one minute warning then start.

• Choose a designated place in the home for homework to be completed. Ensure you choose a quiet and comfortable place for study. Make sure there are no interruptions or distractions.

• Get your children started, give structure and set time limits.

• If your little one’s attention span is short encourage 20 minutes work with 10 break and then 20 minutes work time repeated.

• Parents can help weak readers by reading with and to their children. Reward creativity ahead of spelling, punctuation and setting out.

• Have a rule that once homework is completed it is put into the school bag ready for the next day.

We all have the ability to achieve our potential and this can be encouraged in our children by providing a warm, loving, non-judgemental environment. Remember we are all unique and have different strengths and weaknesses.

NEXT WEEK: Crying

See: www.parentandbabycoach.co.uk