Do you hate homework time? Does your child? I must confess that the homework hour at our house was the worst part of our day.

My oldest daughter HATED sitting down to memorize 25 spelling words, do math worksheets and read after sitting in a desk for 6.5 hours and I resented having to spend this precious time with her doing worksheets and struggling to cram more information into her head.

So, I began to do research on how we could make homework time a better experience for both of us. I found many useful pieces of information along the way and I'd like to share some of the tips I learned with you today.  I've also put together a 75- minute teleclass packed with useful tips that I know will help you! It's made a tremendous difference at our house and with my clients who have adopted these practices.

Did you know that there is a "homework brain" ???* I didn't! The concept of a "homework brain" was developed by Faith and Cecil Clark, psychologists who devoted themselves to improving the learning abilities of children at the National Learning Laboratory.  The idea is that there is a thinking, feeling and doing part of the brain that must all be in synch before a child can complete homework assignments independently, without a lot of hassle.

Today, we'll focus on the "doing" part of the homework brain. The "doing" portion of the brain LOVES rituals.  It is a creature of habit. The doing part of our brain breathes for us, regulates our heart and many other tasks that are done automatically for us.

In regard to homework, the goal is for the doing brain to shift into auto-pilot when it's time to do homework, so homework can become a ritual that's done automatically.

To accomplish this there are several steps that you can take with your child to begin to create a satisfying homework ritual.

1. Determine, with your child, a consistent place to do homework.

Experiment with your child to find a place that they feel most comfortable doing homework. It could be at the kitchen table, on the floor in your family room, on a bean bag chair in their bedroom, at a desk in the home office...  When they've found a place that's the best for doing homework, stick with it!

2. Determine whether your child needs to be near you, or can work independently.

Some children need to have solitude to concentrate best. Others need to be near a parent. Yet others do better with a homework buddy. Again, work with your child on determining what situation best meets their needs.

3. Consider the level of noise during homework time.

Some children need it totally quiet to concentrate.  Other children can handle background noise. Yet other children will actually benefit from playing background music. I've seen several studies that suggest that playing Baroque music actually enhances the learning experiences of some children, particularly those who are auditory learners. (Baroque music uses chromaticism, strict forms and elaborate ornamentation and includes composers like Bach, Handl and Vivaldi from the mid 1500s to mid- 1700s.)

 4. Find a consistent time to do homework.

The ideal sitation is that a child does homework at the same time every day, so the doing part of the homework brain kicks in and says, "It's time to do homework now." Short of that, you can at least pick a daily schedule. So, for instance, on Monday, homework can be done right after Girl Scouts. On Tuesdays, homework is done right after piano lessons, etc.

Please note that some children will do best if they have a break after school. Consider letting them have a snack, play outside or do some other enjoyable activity before they start doing homework.

Also, think outside the box. If your child is an early riser, perhaps s/he could do homework before school the next morning?

5. Develop a homework "basket."

Gather together all of the supplies that you and your child think s/he will need to do homework this year. Put pencils, erasers, a ruler, a calculator, scissors, tape, etc. in a basket that is used exclusively for homework. Keep this nearby the homework "station" that you and your child pick and it will be easy to get started and keep going without having to scramble for supplies.

6. Keep the TV off!

Be sure to prohibit TV viewing during homework time and consider not answering the phone, then, too!