After School Time Mgmt

I have my kids take about a 20 min snack break and then we do homework. I have a second grader and then a 6th and 7th grader. It is nice to get my daughter done before my boys get home.

always a break first....unless there are evening activities planned.

No tv, no other electronics during break time. Snacks, outside play, wind-down, etc....& then the homework is tackled.

I review what's needed to be accomplished, the child makes a game plan, & I move on to my jobs. This method worked for both of my sons.....

Oh, & I do allow music during homework time. Homework is completed in the great room.....so I'm in the same area. When they're teens, then they're allowed to do the homework with some privacy. :)

I liked them to do it right after school, with a snack and quick downtime first, as mentioned below.

My kids are now entering 7th grade. They have always had a chance to unwind after school. When they did go to after school, they would get a snack and then had to start their homework. Once they transferred schools and no more after school, they get home and have a snack, maybe watch a little TV though mainly because I am not home to stop it. They must start their homework by 4 though. So, out of school at 3:05, home no later than 3:20 unless an after school activity or club, snack and unwind for half hour max and then get busy on homework. I always check their work after dinner. When they were in 3rd grade, there was more that had to be helped with but like you they worked on it while I cooked dinner and also after the table was cleared. The evening goes by very fast.

I have my kids bathe as soon as they get home. Then, after talking about our day, we do (some) homework. Next we eat dinner during which we talk and/or play games. (We have a dinner time game called "Gather Round: Dinner Game".) If there is more homework to be done then we finish that. After dental hygiene we play or read together then they are off to bed. (Between 8 and 9PM; depending.)

Either me or my husband is home when the bus comes, so for us, it's the bathroom, washing of hands, small snack & drink then homework.

No tv, Wii, DS, computer or iPad until the homework is done.

We have found that 20-30 min of homework turns into an hour, easily if left til after dinner.

It works for us. Good luck!

M.:

When my kids get home from school - they get 15 minutes of "down" time...a snack and just to kick back...then it's homework..they each have their own desk with the tools they need - paper, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, etc.

or we do it at the kitchen table....it all depends upon how much work needs to be done...there are times when I have to be involved...and other times I just need to check it..

It works best for my kids to get that down time and snack....

We have them start the homework after a glass of water as soon as they get home. Our theory is the information should be still fresh in thier minds.

I work at home (daycare) and always allow my kids a small break & a snack before they jump into homework, but it has to be done by dinner if possible. I don't like doing it at 8:00 at night!!! They do need some time to decompress & unwind, and are sometimes really hungry right after school. Mine are in 6th & 7th, so sometimes they have more homework, and with practices & games, it's nice to get homework done in a timely manner!

Can't they do their homework, AT the aftercare???
That is what many kids do.
After school.
And the adults there, helps them.

What time do you/they get home from school?????
Do it, then.

For me:
I have a child in Kindergarten (he does get homework) and a daughter in 4th grade.
We come home directly after school.
I give them 1 hour to deflate and unwind and relax AND have a snack. They are hungry after school.
THEN it is homework time.
They know this.
It is the routine, everyday.
If my kids wait too long or if I let them... they are too tired to do homework later and it just gets worse.
So... homework has to be done, after school after coming home.

For my kids' friends that go to after-care after school, they do their homework, there. AT after school care.

Ever since Kindergarten, we do homework right when we get home to get it out of the way. In K, the teacher would send home a calendar w/ homework on it for the entire week. We would do it all on Monday and he could kick back the rest of the week. He is like me, doesn't wait until the last minute. He is in 3rd grade now and we still do homework right after school, at the kitchen table while he has a snack.

I let my oldest (the only one in school, kindergarden) have a break before homework. Of course, I am a SAHM and pick her up at 2pm. We have snack and chill with some tv, play with her little sister. About 4 to 4:30pm we get out the homework and i will start getting dinner ready by 5pm.

After dinner is family time with daddy when his schedule permits and just quieting down for bed.

Since they are young, how about a bit of a break when first get home?
A snack, some attention and a little play.
Then they can start homework @ kitchen table while you prepare dinner.
I used to do some prep work the night before then I could finish dinner
while overseeing homework & talking to her.
It got easier as she got older.
Then dinner when dad got home, more of a break (outside play w/us weather permitting) then back inside to finish up homework while we finished kitchen clean up.