more than half won! You can also set up friendly incentive games
with this last Magic Point. For example, three days in a row of
starting on your own at the proper time earns a bonus point. Or
starting more than fifteen minutes early and finishing in a reasonable
amount of time earns two bonus points.
Remember that for many kids with academic handicaps, you may
have to use artificial reinforcers to help motivate the child over the
homework hurdle. Your successful young scholar, for example, might
earn a special outing with you, a special meal, part of his allowance
early, or time on a new game for posting a certain number of points
during the week. Different rewards may require different numbers of
points. Check back to our list of possible rewards in chapter 12.
Also, don’t forget that kitchen timer when dealing with homework.
One helpful tactic is to use the device to help break up the work into
smaller, manageable fifteen-to-twenty-minute pieces. A timer also
helps keep kids on task. If your child complains that the timer’s
ticking bothers him, use a sand hourglass, computer, or LCD device.
Getting homework time down to a manageable routine can do
wonders for your kids as well as for you. Homework won’t
necessarily become fun, but it should not be a daily battle between
you and your child. If you have tried the tactics suggested here for
four to six weeks and you still feel that things are not going well
enough, it may be time for a professional evaluation or an evaluation
by the school. Vision and hearing difficulties, specific learning
disabilities, attention deficits, and a host of other problems can make
schoolwork way too hard for some kids. A diagnostic workup is
especially indicated when a child has academic trouble at school and
is also struggling to complete schoolwork at home.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Homework Helpers