It’s a good idea to start out the school year with a routine regarding homework and to firmly enforce it—something like this: Your daughter goes to school, has soccer practice for an hour and a half, comes home, has free time for an hour and then does homework until it’s done, with a break for dinner.

Depending on where your child goes to school and what grade she’s in, she may have up to three hours of homework or more. Some schools are taking a look at this and trying to reduce it. There is a feeling among some educators that we are working our kids too much too soon. But your teen has to do what is expected of her, so good work and study habits are paramount.

Tips for Teens’ Homework Routines

• Make sure she has plenty of space and silence when she’s working.
• Gently ask if she needs any help or if she wants to check anything. (The answer will likely be no, but she’ll probably be happy that you have offered.)
• Offer help in managing long-term projects: Hanging a calendar on her wall with in-between deadlines marked might be a good idea if she gets lots of simultaneous large projects at school.