Child Not Doing Homework

My very bright son does not have the homework habit. It never hurt him until he entered middle school this year. Recently, he's been getting A's on tests and D's and F's on homework. As a result, he brought home B's instead of A's on his recent report card. Is there any way that I can change his attitude about homework being a waste of time? -- No Homework
Answer: First of all, you need to chat with your child's teachers and find out if the reason your son is getting B's on his report card is simply due to his failure to do homework. Could other factors be involved: Is he handing in his classroom work? Is he only showing you his test grades when they are A's?
No matter what the problem is, something needs to be done about your son's failure to do his homework. As the years go on, especially in high school, doing homework typically results in higher achievement. We suggest that you insist he spend 60 minutes every school night on school-related work, even if his homework is done.
There is, of course, the possibility that your son's homework assignments are a waste of time. Take a close look at them. If they seem too simple for him, embark on a plan at home for him to expand on his assignments. And possibly, his teachers might be agreeable to giving him some more-challenging assignments. If appropriate, investigate his being part of a gifted program or taking more advanced classes.