Hi there, Olivia here. My 10-year-old often gets frustrated with homework, especially when it’s challenging. How do you help your kids stay motivated and tackle tough assignments without getting overwhelmed? — Olivia
Hi Olivia, welcome! I totally feel your pain—my middle one is 10 too, and homework can turn into a battleground some evenings. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if I’m learning more than he is just from googling math strategies!
What’s worked for us (though not perfectly, I’ll admit) is breaking up the assignments into smaller chunks with short breaks in between. I set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes, then we take a quick “brain break”—a snack, a walk, or even just a silly dance in the kitchen. It helps reset his mood and makes the pile of homework feel a bit less like a mountain.
I also try to be open about my own struggles—like, “Hey, I get frustrated with work sometimes too, but taking it one step at a time usually helps.” I think it reassures him that it’s normal to feel stuck sometimes.
One thing I’m a bit skeptical about are those homework help apps or “learning platforms” that promise to make everything easier (for a monthly fee, of course). We tried one last year, and honestly, it just added another password to remember and didn’t help much. Most of the good stuff was paywalled anyway.
Curious if anyone else has found a free resource that actually helps? Or do you have any tricks to keep your kid from melting down over tough assignments, Olivia? Would love to hear what works in your house!
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Hi Olivia, great question! Helping kids stay motivated during challenging homework can be tough, but a few strategies often help. Breaking homework into smaller, manageable chunks can make tasks feel less overwhelming for your 10-year-old. Setting a consistent, distraction-free homework routine also creates a sense of structure. Positive reinforcement, like praise or small rewards for effort, boosts motivation as well. Additionally, sometimes using educational apps or tools to supplement learning can make tough assignments more engaging. Finally, keeping communication open—listening to what frustrates your child and offering encouragement—goes a long way in helping them build confidence. Hope this helps!
Hi Olivia, Roger here.
That’s a common challenge many of us parents face! My kids have definitely had their share of homework frustration. For us, breaking down big assignments into smaller, manageable chunks has been helpful. We also try to establish a consistent homework routine in a quiet space, and sometimes a short break with a timer can do wonders to reset focus.
On the tech side of things, one aspect that often contributes to homework struggles, especially with our digitally-native kids, is the allure of online distractions. This is where I’ve found parental control apps can play a supportive role, not by doing the homework, of course, but by helping create an environment more conducive to focus. It’s less about “spying” and more about setting healthy boundaries and understanding their digital habits.
I’ve tested a fair number of these apps over the years, and they vary quite a bit in features and approach.
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Google Family Link: This is a good starting point, especially if your child uses Android devices. It’s free and allows you to set time limits, approve app downloads, and locate their device. It’s fairly straightforward but might lack some of the more advanced filtering or monitoring capabilities of paid apps. Its strength is its integration with the Android ecosystem.
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Qustodio: This is a very popular and comprehensive option. It works across multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Kindle). I found its dashboard to be quite detailed, offering good reports on web activity, app usage, and even YouTube viewing. You can set time schedules for device use or specific apps, and its web filtering is quite robust. The main con can be the subscription cost, especially for multiple devices, and sometimes kids find ways around certain restrictions, which is true for many apps.
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Bark: Bark takes a different approach. Instead of focusing heavily on blocking and time limits (though it does offer some screen time management), its primary strength is monitoring text messages, emails, and 30+ social media platforms for potential issues like cyberbullying, sexting, suicidal ideation, and threats of violence. It sends alerts to parents if it detects something concerning. It’s less about direct control and more about safety and awareness. I appreciate its focus on child safety, but if your main goal is managing screen time for homework, it might not be the most direct tool, though reducing online stress can indirectly help academic focus.
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Net Nanny / Family Time: Apps like Net Nanny (which has been around for ages) and FamilyTime offer a suite of features including web filtering, screen time management, app blocking, and location tracking. FamilyTime, for instance, has features like “Homework Time” or “Bed Time” which can instantly lock down distracting apps. Usability is generally good, but like Qustodio, they are subscription-based.
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Clevguard & Eyezy: These are on the more intensive end of the monitoring spectrum. They often include features like keylogging (recording keystrokes), call log monitoring, social media message tracking, and even remote camera access or ambient listening (depending on the specific app and legalities). While they offer a deep level of insight, they also raise significant privacy considerations. It’s crucial to be transparent with your child if you use tools this powerful, especially with older kids, and to be aware of local regulations. They can be effective, but the trust dynamic is a big factor.
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mSpy: Now, I’ve personally found mSpy to be a very robust and reliable tool, and it’s become my go-to for a comprehensive overview. It offers a wide range of features, including detailed call and text message logging, GPS tracking with geofencing (so you can get alerts if your child enters or leaves a designated area like school or home), monitoring of social media apps, and visibility into web browsing history and app usage.
What stands out for me with mSpy is the depth of information it can provide and its reliability. For instance, understanding exactly which apps are consuming the most time can be a real eye-opener and a good starting point for a conversation about managing distractions during homework hours. Its interface is generally quite user-friendly once set up. It is a paid app, and like Clevguard or Eyezy, it’s one of the more powerful monitoring tools, so the same considerations about transparency and privacy apply. It’s not about catching them out, but understanding and guiding.
Choosing the Right App:
- Age of your child: Younger children might need more direct time limits and content filtering (like Qustodio or Family Link), while with older teens, you might be more focused on location tracking or safety alerts (like Bark or the geofencing in mSpy).
- Your primary concern: Is it screen time duration, access to inappropriate content, online safety, location, or understanding their communication? Different apps excel in different areas.
- Tech-savviness (yours and theirs): Some apps are easier to set up and manage than others. And kids, especially teens, can be adept at finding workarounds.
- Budget: Options range from free (Family Link) to significant monthly/annual subscriptions.
- Transparency: I always advocate for having an open conversation with your kids about why you’re using these tools, especially as they get older. It’s about safety and responsible tech use, not a lack of trust.
For your 10-year-old, Olivia, if the main issue is focus during homework, an app that allows you to schedule “downtime” for distracting apps (like Qustodio, FamilyTime, or even mSpy by understanding which apps to limit) could be beneficial. You could set it so social media or games are unavailable during homework hours.
No app is a magic bullet, but they can be useful tools in our parenting toolkit when used thoughtfully. Hope this detailed breakdown helps you and others navigate the options!
Best,
Roger