Helping with Homework Without Being an Expert

As parents, we’re our children’s most important teachers — but what happens when we can’t quite recall the difference between ratios and radians? While we play a huge role in shaping the kind of people our children become, not every skill we pass on involves advanced maths, perfect essay structure, or the finer points of grammar.

School Has Changed Since We Were There

Even if you manage to dig up long-forgotten facts from your school days, your teenager might respond with a dismissive, “That’s not how we do Maths anymore.” Teaching approaches are constantly evolving, and what worked decades ago might not align with today’s curriculum.

Thanks to regularly updated teaching strategies, simply retelling what you remember from your own education won’t help much when preparing for assessments like NAPLAN — especially if you didn’t attend school in Australia.

The good news is, supporting your child’s homework doesn’t require you to have all the answers yourself.

Focus on the Process, Not Just the Content

When kids struggle with homework, the biggest challenge is often not the subject matter but time management. Helping your child break down assignments into smaller, manageable tasks and estimating how long each should take can transform overwhelming projects into achievable goals.

For habitual procrastinators (and that’s most kids), setting clear milestones and offering incentives — such as a snack or some screen time — can encourage steady progress.

Some children dislike working alone in their bedroom. In these cases, a workspace in a central area of your home allows you to keep an eye on them while making homework feel less isolating. You might even work on your own tasks alongside them, acting as a “study buddy” to foster companionship and focus.

By doing this, you’re teaching organisation, deadline management, and the mindset needed to be both a successful student and, one day, a reliable professional.

Why Kids Often Won’t Listen to Us

It’s notoriously hard to tutor your own children. Homework battles can start in primary school and escalate over time. Even parents who are teachers often find their children resist their help. Sometimes, letting them wrestle with the work — or even fail — is less stressful than engaging in yet another argument.

Teenagers, with their mix of hormonal changes and developing independence, are often more interested in asserting autonomy than in absorbing parental wisdom.

Accept It — and Outsource When Needed

Many parents eventually face the frustrating truth: their children often respond better and learn faster with someone else. Accepting this can be liberating.

Outsourcing doesn’t mean you’re not involved. You still play the essential role of providing time, space, and a positive environment for learning. While an expert tutor from Aussie Edu Hub handles the teaching, you ensure your child is well-fed, rested, and knows they are loved — regardless of their grades.