Hi Claire, Thank you for your advice and informative web.   My son is 6 years old, starting Grade 1 this year.  I’m a working mum who only gets home at 5:PM and would like some advice in terms of setting up a suitable homework routine.    He is doing some OT work and the schedule seems quite full already.  We are strict with our child's bedtime routine. By 7:PM he has to be in his bed, most times a story is read and by PM he is asleep.  Any later than that and I have a very grumpy child in the morning as we leave home latest 6:AM.   My question is I'm concerned with how do I fit homework in.  I am unable to put him in aftercare to receive homework help.  My maid who lives in, looks after him in the afternoons. She is unable to help him due to limited literacy capabilities.  Should I get him to have a sleep in the afternoon so that by the time I arrive home in the evening he is a little more refreshed.  I’m getting myself quite stressed out about fitting in the homework, taking into account the small amount of time I have available with him in the evening.  Already he is quite stressed about doing extra OT work in the evening.   I have searched the net for some advice / solutions, none available.  I would really appreciate your advice.   Kind regards

Thank you for your email and kind words about my site. I understand your concern. In grade 1 your son should not be doing more than 10-15 minutes of homework and this should be dedicated to reading, learning words and maybe a bit of counting, maths bonds. The 15 minutes should include his OT exercises. If he has a lot of OT exercises then chat to his therapist to see if she can reduce it, or spend time doing it on the weekend. As you get home at 5:30 I would suggest you spend the first hour doing something fun with your son so he can attach to you. After bonding with you let him do 5 minutes of OT, then  bath and supper. He can do some counting, maths bonds, while helping you set the table and finish supper. After supper at 7:15 do 5 minutes of reading. It is appropriate to do shared reading with him where you do some of the reading and he follows you or you read a sentence and omit one or two words which he reads. Then bed at 7:PM. Homework is not that important and should never dominate a child's free time or make a child anxious and miserable. Try to make homework as fun as possible and find opportunities such as driving in the car to do some of it. Your son will also benefit by chatting to you on the way to school when you can teach him thinking and problem solving skills. Spending his time playing, chatting to you or dad, and relaxing is more important for him at this age and if he appears to be burdened with homework, then chat to his teacher and therapist about a plan to reduce it or to offer him additional help. Please read my articles on my website titled: 'Helping your child study, managing homework stress, homework- 7yr old not coping."    Best wishes