8 Y/o Doing Homework

I used to be a first grade teacher and parents who had this problem let me handle the discipline. Talk to his teacher and see if they have consequences at school for no homework. I know little boys would hate to miss recess to do their homework. Let him realize that it is his responsibliity and he will have to suffer the consequences.

Oh S., don't you just love all the homework these days!
I am a work at home mom now (since my daughter was born), but I used to teach 3rd grade. The standards are so much higher now than ever before and depending on your district policies, their homework load my be too.
I really try to encourage positive reinforcement with anything first. Your son is probably spending all day looking at the same stuff he is bringing home to work on again. I'm sure he has "better things to do" than homework. I know I'm an out-of-the-box type, but try something like soccer or a game that he likes and use his homework in the sport. Like, for instance, I think they're working a lot on multiplication right now and timed tests? Try standing a distance from him and giving him a problem out loud, like 3x5, and he has to answer it by the time the ball gets to him. Then, he gets a turn and you answer. Just something to take the dull out and get more involved. Then when he goes it to do the "paper part" his confidence of knowing the answers is recharged and the activity got his blood flowing and I know it sounds crazy, but his oxygen increased and he'll be able to pay attention more.
This is just an idea that has worked for me in the past. Just getting them moving and out of pencil/paper mode is really important, in my opinion. Everyone is different and we all have to find what works for each of us.
Hope something I said helps :)
Best of luck and let me know if you need anything else.

A.
www.free2Bmom.com

I would try your best to ignore the drama and just keep things on a schedule. My 8 year old son as soon as he comes home from school usually will get a drink and a snack and may even take just a few moments (less than 5)to play with his 11 month old sister and then he knows we don't play or do anything else until after homework which is up to him how long things take. I also have him do it at the island in the kitchen (which in my home has the least distractions). He occasionally wants to give me trouble, but I just leave him alone to do the homework.

My 8 yo is burnt out after school. We actually do most homework in the morning....he is an early riser anyway.

Have you tried letting him deal with the consequences of not having his homework finished. Those teachers can be brutal.

My parents made homework completely my own responsibility. Often I didn't do it until the last minute. But, I did get mostly A's.

It is at least something that you could try if none of the other suggestions work.

S.:

I feel your pain! My daughter and I had homework struggles in 3rd and 4th grade. I tried all the text book solutions I could and nothing worked. They got to be so bad that I reached out to her teacher and school. They were a HUGE help. In 4th grade, we had a conference w/ my daughter and her teacher had drawn up a "contract". For every assignment she turned in she would get a coupon to work towards lunch w/ teacher, lunch / friends, extra recess, etc. The only one she couldn't get was a No Homework Night coupon. Also, they asked her what she thought a good grade would be for tests and quizzes. Once she said what she believed to a good grade then they told her that for every 90% she would get the coupon. (the daily work one was you had to have several to earn the coupon).
Her teacher was awesome. He gave her his cell phone # and told her that she could call him between 3-4:30PM should she have any questions about the homework. She thought this was the coolest thing ever! I think she called maybe the 1st week (to see if it really would work) but then we were good to go! It was such a great help to me to not have these homework battles anymore!
Another thing they allowed her to do (in order to raise more of an interest in learning) was on certain projects they let her deviate from the norm. For instance, the Famous Texan report. Instead of doing Sam Adams she could do Lance Armstrong or Jessica Simpson. Make sense? They wanted her to be able to enjoy learning and give it a chance. It was truly life changing for her!

Good luck!

S.

Have you thought about having a classmate come over to do homework with while you supervise? After a weeks worth of well done homework/weekly grades a treat like Mc Donalds lunch, an hour at chuck e cheeses, a movie something special.

I agree with the other responses you got because they work. I also have to add that things really started working for me when I placed a "Responsiblity" chart (chores). One of the things on it is "Finished Homework". I saw it on Supper Nanny, and even though it seemed like that would never in a million years work for me, I was desperate and gave it a try, and it worked! I was surprised at how well my kids responded to it because my daughter would have won 1st place in drama class when doing homework. After a week of following the chart they earned points and when they reached certain points I would take them to McD's, or to the park and such. I'm not one that sticks strictly to things, so I did not keep up with the chart every day, but by them passing by it every day (it's in the hallway), they always remember what they are expected to do, and do it. It seems to give them a since of accomplishment. You might want to give it a shot if you get desperate like me, lol.

I have a 9 y/o son and we've been going through the same struggle minus the fits, since third grade, and now he's in fourth. Many parents/teachers I have talked to say that this is a stage. I just encourage you to keep doing what your doing, make sure there are positive incentives as well as consequences. Just be prepared for it tot continue throughtout the fourth grade.