Tween Town, U.S.A.

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It works best when you include your middle schooler in the rule setting. You say, "O.K., it seems that your homework takes about two hours a night. You can do it a few different ways. We could say, homework first, when you get home from school, and then you're free. Or, do whatever you want after school, but after dinner, it's homework and no TV until the homework is done." If you let them make the choice, they're slightly more likely to do it. Also, don't force kids to do homework at their desk if they feel most comfortable in the kitchen or living room, where they can shout out questions to their mother. But parents shouldn't do the homework for them. I saw a lot of that!