It’s All About the Homework
by Susan Sundwall

There’s no doubt about it, homework is, well—work. There’s also no getting around it, so why not make your homework space a small haven where you can tackle it with the least amount of pain.

You’ll need a flat surface, like one of these:

1. Kitchen table
2. Computer desk
3. Snack tray
4. Pillow on your knees
5. Picnic table

Use a sturdy basket or an outrageous colored plastic box, and fill it with:

1. Some great CD’s and a player
2. A few cereal bars
3. A picture buddy—your bff, dog, cat or rock idol
4. Juice box or some delish flavored water
5. Cell phone (emergencies only)
6. A great magazine with quizzes for getting the old brain in gear

Oh, and you’ll need some of the following too, for the actual doing of the homework:

1. Pens
2. Calculator
3. Ruled paper
4. Books and/or assignment sheets
5. Laptop computer, if you have one

Using It!

Okay, you’re loaded and ready to go. Can you picture yourself in the following scene?

You have two assignments due tomorrow. You’re in love with math so that’s first. With a CD on low, for background, you flip through the mag and slam-dunk one quiz, a no brainer. You promise your picture buddy you’ll finish the assignment in half an hour. You knock it off in thirty-five minutes. Hmm . . . a little over your time budget, but that’s okay.

Next comes Spanish. Halfway through it, you down the juice and some cereal bar. Uh oh, your bff calls with a small emergency (that new kid in gym simply must be discussed). You’re twenty minutes into it when bff mentions the super burritos she had for dinner, and it hits you! You’ve been doing everything BUT the Spanish assignment. You say hasta la vista to bff and promise yourself the rest of the cereal bar for finishing up in under fifteen minutes. With total focus, it takes fourteen, and it’s not even six o’clock yet!

You sniff the air. Bonus! Mom made a fabulous bean burrito festival for the whole family and you are so there. You chow down, thank Mom, clean up the table, and feed Gerald your gerbil. Next up, a comfy chair, more quizzes, and the season premier of that TV show you’ve been waiting to see since forever.

Maybe your homework scene is something like the one above—or could be. By using a homework haven, jam packed with goodies, you’ll have great fun knocking off your daily assignments. And by sticking to your goal of finished homework, you put yourself in line for a huge reward. Concert tickets! Uh, just kidding. Your reward is a lot bigger than that; good grades and pride in accomplishment. Both of these will last longer than even. . . American Idol!