Making Teen Boys Do Their Homework

Pressure and Homework

• Demanding that your son do his homework now is a tactic that is likely to backfire. Instead, shift your approach - give your son the option to do his homework sometime before he goes to bed, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. You can also suggest that your son do his homework before he does any recreational activities. The ability to make a choice may not only relieve some of the household tension, but it may also inspire your son to get to business when he is not under pressure.

Making the Environment

• Some teenage boys will need a calm and quiet environment to do their homework, free of distracting media, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Ensuring that your son has everything he will need to do homework at his disposal may also be a helpful way to help him get to work. If your teen completes his homework in an area away from everyone else, you may want to check in on his progress every now and again, according to KidsHealth. Setting up a homework area in a common living space, like the living room, may also encourage him to stay on task.

Rewards

• Teenage boys may or may not take pride in completing their homework well and on time. In the event that your teen needs something more, setting up a reward system may be beneficial, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. Talk to your son ahead of time about possible rewards and what he needs to do to acquire them. Maybe your son needs to do his homework without a struggle nightly for a month, or maybe his grades need to improve by a certain margin. Make these goals concrete and specific, such as, "Your grade in math needs to rise to a B within 30 days."

Additional Help

• Some teenagers may struggle with an undiscovered learning disability, which can make homework a nightmare, according to KidsHealth. If your teen avoids homework no matter what you do, an evaluation with his doctor may provide some insight. It may also be of benefit to talk to your son's teacher. Maybe your teen enjoys kicking back when he should be doing his work at school, or he may be receiving too much homework. Other activities, like sports after school, may also be affecting the amount of time and energy he has to put into homework.