My child rushes through their homework. How do I help them slow down?

It was a busy afternoon. Zainab had just gotten her daughter, Hana, to start on her homework. Checking on her progress, she noticed Hana buzzing through her math homework like a race car at top speed. Zainab glanced at the clock and raised an eyebrow. It was 4:28, and iPad time was scheduled for 4:30. Suspicious timing.

“Done!” Hana announced with a triumphant grin, shoving the worksheet toward Zainab.

Zainab skimmed through the page and grimaced. The answers were all over the place—one question asked for the perimeter of a rectangle, and Hana had proudly written “0” On the back? Completely blank.

“Hana, what happened here? Did you do this with your eyes closed?”

“It’s iPad time now, right?” Hana asked, completely ignoring Zainab’s comment. “You said if I do my homework now, I’ll be able to watch YouTube at 4:30!”

Zainab sighed, feeling defeated.

Does your child struggle with doing quality work?  HabitCoach can help!

Strategies to Help Your Child Slow Down and Do Quality Work

1. Talk About Their Rushing
   Children often rush through tasks to reach a more rewarding activity (like watching TV or playing games), but this can lead to sloppy work. Instead of scolding them for rushing, have a calm conversation about why they feel the need to finish so quickly. Ask questions like, “What happens if you slow down a bit?” or “How do you feel when you rush through something?” 

Help them reflect on their own tendencies. When reviewing their work together, point out the differences between rushed and thoughtful answers. This can help them build metacognition which is the awareness of their thinking process – an advanced skill that could be a real game-changer.

2. Break it Down
   For many children, the sight of a full worksheet or a lengthy assignment can be overwhelming. This feeling of overwhelm can lead to anxiety, and in an effort to alleviate that discomfort as quickly as possible, they often rush through tasks just to “get it done.” By breaking the work into smaller, manageable sections, you can reduce that overwhelm and help them focus better on each part. You might say, “Let’s just work on these three questions, and then take a short break.” This not only keeps them engaged but also makes each piece of the assignment seem more achievable.

3. Provide a Focus-Friendly Environment
   Where and how your child does their homework matters. If there’s a TV on or other background noise, they’re likely to get distracted and try to finish quickly so they can get back to whatever is pulling their attention. Set up a designated homework space that’s free from distractions like electronics, loud noises, or siblings running around. A quiet, organized area with all the necessary materials (pencils, calculators, etc.) encourages them to put more thought and focus on work.

4. Teach Time Estimation
   Help your child learn to estimate the time it will take to complete their homework. Many children tend to overestimate the time needed, which can lead them to believe that tasks are much harder and will take longer than they actually do.

For kids who struggle with time blindness, encourage them to guess how long each task might take and then overshoot that estimate slightly. For example, if they think math will take 20 minutes, suggest budgeting 25 minutes. This extra time provides a cushion for reviewing their work and correcting any mistakes made in haste. 

5. Praise the Effort, Not Just Speed
   When your child produces thoughtful, high-quality work, make sure to praise their effort rather than how fast they completed it. For instance, say things like, “I can see you really took your time on this problem—great job thinking it through!” instead of focusing on how quickly they got it done. Over time, they’ll begin to associate the sense of accomplishment with doing quality work rather than finishing first.

6. Teach Breathing/Meditation
   Before diving into homework, guide your child through a simple breathing exercise or meditation. This can be as short as 2-3 minutes and is a great way to shift their mindset from the day's distractions to a more focused, calm state. Breathing exercises help regulate emotions and reduce the sense of urgency to "get it over with." Even teaching them to take deep breaths before they start can slow their pace and improve concentration, helping them approach the task with a clearer mind.

Did you know that having an Executive Function coach can help your child improve their school performance? Contact us at Habit Coach for more info!