By: Eva Dienel

When was the last time you went into a meeting without reviewing your notes? Or made a phone call without first thinking about who you were calling and what you wanted to say? You think about things ahead of time in order to be prepared. You do your homework, so to speak. Your child - regardless of grade or age - has the same responsibility, except that it really is homework for which he or she must be accountable.

So when seven o'clock rolls around and, yet again, you find yourself explaining grammar or demonstrating math formulas, you may wonder, whose homework is this anyway?

"Parents should let their kids know that this is the kid's responsibility," says Bruce Sonnenfeld, director of the Sylvan Learning Center in Boulder, Colo.

Teachers and educators agree that if homework is important to parents, it becomes important to kids. The easiest way to convey this is by helping your child understand the purpose of homework. "Homework reinforces the skills that were taught during that day and provides students with options to look at other skills," Sonnenfeld explains. When students do their homework, they better understand what is going on in class and participate by asking questions that challenge and intrigue them.

There will be times when children will need help from their parents. However, children should not depend on their parents to show them how to do the work.

Sonnenfeld cautions, "If every night parents are helping their kids with homework for half an hour to an hour, they're probably doing too much."

Here are some tips parents can use to help students become responsible for homework:

Start a learning log. One of the best ways to study is to put the material in your own words. In a notebook, have your teen include what was learned and how (e.g. through note-taking in class, by watching the teacher do a similar problem, by reading a passage, etc.). This helps students develop strategies to learn new material, which will reinforce their self-confidence.

Keep a homework notebook. Sonnenfeld suggests that students study a little bit every night, even if they don't have an assignment. To keep track of studying, students should write down due dates and materials needed for special projects. This way, they can study ahead of time and won't get caught in a last-minute panic putting together projects they knew about weeks beforehand.

Establish a study and work schedule. Younger children will need help setting aside specific times to study, and older children will need help balancing study time with extra-curricular activities. Study breaks allow your child to return refreshed and ready for a new topic. Also, encourage your teens to work in groups. Although group work is effective only after each member has a good grasp of the material, it helps students communicate and learn from each other.

Practice, drill, retain. This formula can help you describe to your child the importance of homework. Practice (study) helps your child when he or she is drilled (tested) so that he or she can retain (learn) the material.

Participate in your child's learning. Show your support by quizzing your child on material, going over projects or tests, and listening to explanations of new concepts. Keep in contact with your child's teacher and know the school's homework policy.

In some cases, a teacher's explanation of a concept may differ from a parent's explanation. "This is particularly a problem in math and science when things keep changing," Sonnenfeld says.

When these differences arise, have your child explain how to solve the problem by reviewing notes from school or explanations in a textbook. "If they can't remember how to solve a problem," Sonnenfeld adds, "it's an excellent opportunity to reinforce the student's responsibility to take notes in class."