As the number of electronic and social distractions rises for children and adolescents, rebellious and defiant behavior becomes more frequent. According to the National Resource Center on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, behaviorally oriented psychosocial treatments such as behavior therapy have a solid amount of scientific evidence pointing to their effectiveness. If your child routinely exhibits an aversion to homework and other chores, there are a number of behavior modification strategies that can have a lasting impact on your child's behavior.
Step 1
Appraise the productivity of your child's work environment. Reduce the amount of clutter and distracting objects such as video game consoles, televisions or toys from the area your child does homework. Promote a productive atmosphere by placing a calendar, clock, calculator, ruler and other helpful items in the work area.
Step 2
Establish a non-negotiable homework time each afternoon wherein all homework has to be completed before your child engages in any extracurricular or recreational activities. If your child has a history of poor homework performance, have him write down on a special notepad the exact reading or exercises he has to complete each day, and have him show you the finished homework product at the end of the homework time.
Step 3
Limit the amount of concentration-ruining foods and chemicals in your child's diet, such as sugar and caffeine. While it can be cruel to cut out entirely from a child's diet, reducing caffeine consumption is a common technique for mitigating the restlessness of your child, according to the Kids Health website. Monitor the amount of outdoor playtime she gets to make sure she is releasing all of the energy in her system.
Step 4
Adopt a firm, no-nonsense attitude to your homework rules. Resist the urge to give in to your child's debating and arguing over the unfair homework requirements enforced by his teacher. Stick to your guns and impose creative and strict consequences for not completing homework. For example, if your child does not complete his assignment before bedtime, ground him from watching TV, movies or playing video or computer games for the remainder of the week and weekend if necessary.
Step 5
Set a good example by completing a productive studious task yourself while your child is completing her homework assignments. Read a book, newspaper or write in your journal to create a positive image of study-time in your family and reduce your child's negative perception of homework. Create your own "homework" that does not involve tempting movies, games or other activities that would distract your child.
Step 6
Provide clear and reasonable expectations and reward your child for completing school activities, projects, reading requirements and exercises. Inspire your child to complete her homework assignments by creating Homework Rewards. These can be small tickets or coupons redeemable for certain prizes including sleepovers, their favorite dinner, a trip to their favorite mall or arcade, a present or any other reward you can imagine.
Tips and Warnings
- Contact your child's teacher and involve him in your child's productivity. Let him know that you are trying to come up with creative solutions and to reward your child with positive feedback when it is earned. If your child has pent-up energy and anxiety, consider enrolling him in an athletics or arts program after school.
Things You'll Need
- Generic tickets or coupons
