Let your daughter, for example, explain to her teacher why her
work was not completed. And when your daughter later complains to
you about how irritated her teacher was with her for not turning in her
homework, instead of saying, “I told you so,” say, “That must have
been embarrassing for you, but I’m sure you’ll do better.” If this
approach doesn’t seem to be working after a few weeks, then switch
to some of the other alternatives described in this chapter.
You obviously can’t rely on natural consequences to solve the
behavior, if you have been having homework problems for years and
years. With chronic problems, you will need to take a closer look at
why your child is having such a hard time. Children with learning
disabilities and attention-deficit problems, for instance, not only need
a well-thought-out daily homework routine but may also benefit from
tutoring, treatment, or other academic accommodations.
Assignment Sheets
Assignment sheets or assignment notebooks can be extremely helpful
for kids who have homework troubles. Assignment notebooks tell you
exactly what work is due for each subject, which—among other
benefits—helps prevent lying about homework. Many schools now
have Internet-based homework hotlines where forgetful but fortunate
kids can log on after hours to find out what their assignments are.
Part of the idea of the assignment sheet, of course, is that after the
child does the work, the parents can check it against the list of items
to be done. If this is the procedure you are considering, you should
routinely include our next two homework procedures: the PNP
Method and the Rough Checkout.
The PNP Method
Suppose your daughter has just completed her midweek spelling
pretest. There are ten words on the list, and she spelled nine correctly
and misspelled one. When she brings you her paper, your first job,