2. How can I drag my child away from the skateboard (the video game, the TV, the telephone, the cat)?

Left to his own devices, your child would probably rather be skateboarding, so it's up to you to make homework a priority. If you don't want to spend all evening negotiating or nagging, establish a regular homework time. Just make sure it's not too late in the evening or homework will become "too hard."

Some parents write out a homework schedule assigning times for work and for play. Others ask the child to sign a Homework Contract ("I will do my homework at such-and-such a time..."). Other parents employ kitchen timers and beat-the-clock games. But don't do this if it makes your child nervous. And don't feel as if you have to create a "Jeopardy"-esque game show just to get your child to do his subtraction.

HOMEWORK ZONE

Where children do their homework is as important as when they do it. A designated place to study helps establish a routine. This "homework zone," be it a desk or a corner of the kitchen table, should have all the things your child needs within easy reach (to avoid cries of "I can't find my eraser!"). Ideally, children should work in a bona fide "home study center" that is quiet, well lit, and stocked with a Homework Survival Kit. The kindergarten-to-third-grade version of this kit would include crayons, pencils, erasers and construction paper, which families can shop for together so the child has a say in how to personalize her study area.

It's helpful to use something to keep all the papers in. A file folder or a couple office trays are often useful for in/out boxes.