My Child Keeps Leaving Homework at Home
As the school year picks up and your child gets busy, it becomes easier to get overwhelmed and lose track of little things they need to stay on top of. Leaving homework at home is one of the more visible examples of this.
To avoid you or your student feeling stressed and getting the “I left my essay on the counter” text, we’ve gathered a list of tips to help them keep track of their homework to make sure it ends up in their backpack and eliminate stress with one less thing to remember each morning.
How to Make Sure Homework Makes It to School
Pack backpack the night before: We’ve recommended this tip before and it’s back again because we can’t stress how helpful this can be. Organizing everything needed the night before school gives your student one less thing to think about when trying to get out the door.
Do homework in one place: Not only should homework return to one place after finishing, but designating a homework spot to complete work ensures that homework doesn’t end up all over the house. Students should keep their backpack in this area too. Create a homework → folder → backpack routine after homework is done!
Phone notifications: If your student uses a cell phone, encourage them to create a reminder each morning to check that all homework is with them.
Sticky note method: Whether or not your student sets reminders on their phone, this is one of our favorites. Use sticky notes as reminders in highly visible areas for homework, after-school sports clothes, etc. Consider bathroom mirrors, the fridge, bedroom doors, or anywhere else your student will see them!
Action Item: Have your student add two of these tips into their weekly routine. A visual reminder/phone notification can be an easy start that requires little effort, but really helps!
Further Reading and Resources
‘How to Help Students Develop the Skills They Need to Complete Homework’ - Edutopia
‘Helping Kids Who Struggle With Executive Functions’ - Child Mind Institute