If you’re reading this and you have kids old enough to be in school (or at least in a school that gives out homework - crazy as it sounds, some don’t these days!) you know both sides of the endless homework struggle. Kids don’t want to do it, you don’t want to keep having the same old argument about having it, and nothing gets done! While we can’t exactly make your children look forward to actually doing their homework, we have noticed that making sure they have an easier time staying focused on their homework if they have a chance to get everything organized. The homework won’t get any more enjoyable, but it sure will get a lot easier (and hopefully lead to less complaining!) if everything has a place for it to go: Designate A Homework Station: The first step is to give your kids a place to do their homework quietly and without distraction from toys, electronics, or anything else going on in the rest of the house. Get them their own writing desk with some pencils, erasers, and the like and let them know it’s theirs to use when they need it. Having a small desk in the corner with a small lamp will remind them that when they’re at the desk, it’s time to get work done, and should do a lot to keep them focused and keep their schoolwork and supplies organized by giving them a place to keep it. Keep Their Backpack Clean: A big stumbling block for getting homework done is when your kids have a hard time actually finding it. Set a regular schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, etc) to empty out your kids’ backpacks, reorganize everything by due date and need, and remind your kids to start working on the stuff due soonest. Help Set Schedules: Many kids work better if they stick to a routine, especially for things they don’t much enjoy - such as homework! Use flashcards, a dry-erase board, or anything else you might have that they can keep around to remind them of when it’s time to start winding down to focus on homework and get their assignments together. Design a Folder System: For kids that have a much harder time staying focused and keeping their paperwork straight, making a more straightforward foldering system might be the way to go. Buy them a few different styles of binders, folders, and so on, and let them decide what might help most. Kids tend to respond best to any organizational system that they get a hand in designing, since they’ll know best what will help them get used to remembering when to do their homework. Keep Their Whole Room Clean: Of course, if their entire bedroom is in disarray, it might be a bit of a headache to try and just stay focused on homework. You might want to help get some kids lockers to hang onto their backpack and school books, and some plastic bins will do good for keeping toys, clothes, and the like up off the floor and out of the way when your kids need to just focus on their schoolwork - not finding their favorite toys. After these, you might just avoid those homework fights every night after all!