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Ask Laura: My kid needs computer with wifi for homework; won't that be a distraction?

My kids tell me that they need to use a computer (with wifi!) to do their homework. How do I handle this? Won't it be a huge distraction? Laura fields this common question from a parent.

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Laura Tierney of The Social Institute
By
Laura Tierney
, The Social Institute
Editor's note: In this monthly series, social media expert and Durham mom Laura Tierney, founder of The Social Institute, answers your questions about social media and kids. If you have a question for Laura, email her at contact@thesocialinst.com.
Question

My kids tell me that they need to use a computer (with wifi!) to do their homework. How do I handle this? Won’t it be a huge distraction?

Answer
Parents ask us this question all the time, and for good reason. The latest data we could find on tech and homework was gathered by the Federal Communication Commission’s Broadband Task Force in 2009:
  • 70 percent of teachers assign homework requiring access to broadband
  • 65 percent of students used the Internet at home to complete their homework

Those numbers are assumed to be higher now: Computers are more affordable, more types of devices can connect to wifi, and broadband access has expanded. And it’s not, as far as research has found, a bad thing. More on that later.

We suggest a few things you can do at home, including understanding what your child can do on a computer that you may have assumed they can do only on their phone. And, depending on the age of your children, a smart move to make with the school.

Develop a homework routine

Agree on routine standards for doing homework, if possible: Same place, same device settings, same time limits, same breaks, etc. Work together to create an ideal homework space, keeping in mind that if your child’s bedroom resembles a cockpit with numerous screens and blinking lights, that is not the ideal place. In fact, being out in the open with the rest of the family (kitchen table, dining room) may be ideal — some kids focus better when surrounded by others.

Create a tech-free spot too, since students still have some old-fashioned pen-and-paper assignments to complete.

Limit phone use

When it comes to homework time, here are four tricks to do away with digital distractions:

  • Consider using apps like Family Time or Circle With Disney to disable phone use during homework time.
  • Have your child simply turn off iMessage to stop receiving texts from friends. She can then turn it back on once homework is done. Think your child can’t text without a cell phone? Think again. On a Mac, kids can use the iMessage app to send and receive texts.
  • Segment homework time into blocks, like this: Turn off all messaging devices during a 30- minute study time. Then take a 10-minute break, during which he can check his messages, get a snack, whatever. (Use an old-fashioned kitchen timer.) Then it’s back to the homework for another 30 minutes.
  • Use Find My iPhone (Apple) or Find My Phone (Android) to lock your child’s cell phone during homework time. It’s meant to be a safety feature in case you lose one of your devices, but it works for homework time, too.
Get on the same page as the school

If you have questions or feedback about how much screen time is actually required of your child, speak up and discuss it with the PTA, principal, assistant principal, or teacher during parent-teacher conferences. Ask roughly how much time your child be in front of a screen to complete a week’s worth of homework. Also, what websites should he be using predominantly? YouTube? Wikipedia? A website that allows class group discussion?

Also, many schools have an interface or learning management system in place, like Edmodo or Seesaw, that allows parents to view homework assignments and their own child’s progress. Become familiar with what your child’s school uses.

Recognize the benefits
Last, but certainly not least, realize that using a home computer to complete schoolwork doesn’t affect students’ grades — for better or worse. A study done between 2008 and 2010 found that although having a computer at home means kids spend more time playing video games and using social media, their grades are not affected. Or, as was reported in the Washington Post, it did not have “a measurable effect.” In fact, kids with computers at home with access to the Internet helped kids “in an unexpected way. It made them more social — not just online, but in real life.”

What’s most important is that we empower kids with the skills to focus their attention on their goals and priorities, whether they have a device in front of them or not. If we do that, we’ll equip them with a life skill.

Laura Tierney is founder and president of The Social Institute, a Durham-based company that teaches students nationwide positive ways to handle one of the biggest drivers of their social development: social media. Laura, a digital native who got her first phone at age 13, went on to become a four-time Duke All-American, Duke’s Athlete of the Decade, and a social media strategist for leading brands. She also recently became a mom.

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