Forgotten Homework on the Kitchen Table. Should you deliver it?

The first time this happens, you could deliver the homework to your child at school. I’m sure she’d appreciate it, especially if you get it there early – like before she has to admit to her teacher that she doesn’t have it. Just make sure you follow up with a plan at home to minimize the chance of this happening again. And, make it clear that you cannot be counted on to deliver if this happens again.

The Plan:

• Your child does homework independently in a relatively quiet (not necessarily silent) place.

• You should offer a nudge in the right direction if the homework is giving your child a bit of trouble, however her teacher will want to know if it was too difficult.

• When the homework is complete, eyeball it for neatness or check to see that it has been done correctly, AND THEN…

• Put the homework in your child’s hand and watch her put it into her folder or backpack or where ever it needs to be so there is little chance that she will leave for school without it.

This last step is where the process seems to break down the most often. Children give their homework to a parent to look it over, and then walk away. Keep her engaged in the organizational process. While you’re looking over the homework, your child could do a couple of things.



• She can locate whatever else needs to go to school the next day, such as a library book, permission slip or sneakers for P.E. Into the backpack they go.

• Depending on her age, she could make her lunch or pack her snack.

• Homework’s all set? In it goes, and your child feels capable and in charge of her own stuff. In other words, responsible.

If forgotten homework becomes a frequent problem, keep reinforcing “The Plan” and do not deliver.  If your child doesn't suffer the consequences of forgetting her homework, she will not believe that it is her problem to fix.


If “The Plan” is being used successfully and forgetting is extremely rare, deliver if you must but that doesn’t change the fact that the homework was forgotten. It happens to the best of us sometimes. If your child knows what went wrong, she can avoid a repeat. Rule of thumb: Hands off Mom and Dad. She’s in charge.



Cielle