No teenager ever seems to have the time to do homework, what with phone calls to make, friends to e-mail, web-sites to visit, gameboy games to be played, sore muscles, snacks to be eaten....there are literally thousands of excuses your teenager will come up with to avoid doing their homework.  But there are ways that you can let them have their free time and get their homework done, too.  You just need to be creative and not get upset when the excuses and eyerolls start.

The most important thing you can do is set up a schedule.  Establish a set time each day for doing homework.  Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime.  Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates or research at the library.

Help your child with time management.  Work backwards from the due date of an assignment so he can see how much time he needs to write a paper or finish a book from the day the assignment is given.  

Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework, and that everyone in the family respects that space.  Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.

Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.

Be positive about homework.  Tell your child how important school is.  The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.

When your child does homework, you do homework.  Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult.  If your child is reading, you read too.  If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.

When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.  Giving answers means your child will not learn the material.  Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her.

Cooperate with the teacher.  It shows your child that the school and home are a team.  Follow the directions given by the teacher.

If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.  Too much parental involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects.  Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.

Stay informed.  Talk with your child's teacher.  Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are.  Attend PTA meetings to get inside information about the school and its procedures.

Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.  Have your child do the hard work first.  This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges.  Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.

Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.  Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an assignment.  Try giving fifteen minutes of playstation or phone time after 45 minutes of study.  This is a great incentive.

Reward progress in homework.  If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.

Math Tips

•  Encourage your child to use a daily math assignment book.  

•  Check with your child daily about his homework.  

•  If you don't understand your child's math assignments, talk to her teacher.  

•  If your child is experiencing problems in math, send a note to the teacher early in the school year.  

• Use household chores such as shopping and bill-paying as opportunities for reinforcing math.