Procastination is a very common problem for children and parents. In fact, most of us want to procrastinate when we have something unpleasant that needs to be done. It's understandable that your son wants to put off homework, but clearly it's a habit that will hurt his academic performance.

THE REWARD SYSTEM
Try tackling this problem by setting up a reward system. If he has his homework or chores finished by 8:00 P.M., he can have or do something he enjoys. Perhaps he can watch a favorite (good quality) TV program for an hour that evening, or do an activity of his choice, say, skateboarding, later in the week. Make the reward something that gives him incentive. If he doesn't meet his deadline, then no reward should be given.

TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Help your son budget his time so that he can meet the deadline. If he does chores or extracurriculars in the afternoon, help him estimate how long these take and establish what the start time for his homework needs to be. By teaching your son how to budget his time, you're instilling an important study skill that will benefit him later in life as well.

Once the two of you have established his start time and his deadline, don't nag him. He knows what he has to do; now it's up to him to do it. If he fails to finish his tasks on time, stick to the deal--don't give him the reward. This should improve his behavior on the following evening.

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE
If he still procrastinates, write up a contract with your son that clearly states his assignments, the rewards for doing them on time, and the consequences for not having them finished. You might feel a little funny writing up a contract with your son, but having that piece of paper can really work wonders.