I usually make sure I am in the same room at least and available to stop everything when it looks like they really don't understand. &nbsp;The reason for this is because the children will sometimes pretend they (don't get it ) in order to just get an answer from the parent. &nbsp;Or I will let them do all that they can and in the end show them how to find the answer, this way you are not giving them a quick fix and they will soon be able to help themselves when they are on thier own<br />

Patricia, I think that is a great idea. Sounds like you set up a &quot;homework friendly&quot; space for your kids, where they have room to work independently but also have access to your help when needed.<br />
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Dennis, what you and your wife can do as parents is provide a distraction free, well-lighted space for your 5th grader. &nbsp;I think it is important for children to learn from their mistakes, that doesn't mean you can't help them with homework, but it does mean that they should be doing their own work, with your suggestions or help if needed. &nbsp;An article that lists some tips on how to help with homework is:<br />
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http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/homework.html<br />
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Also, if your child seems to be having excessive difficulty or ease with a particular subject or task, you may think about talking to his teachers. &nbsp;A source on opening this dialogue from education.com is:<br />
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http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_How_Help_Talk/<br />
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Good luck!<br />
Kelly<br />

Dennis,<br />
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To a certain extent, I believe that the amount of support a parent should provide to their child around homework is somewhat dependent upon the needs of the child. Some children will need more assistance while completing assignments than others. That said, beginning in third and fourth grade, teachers expect their students to take on a much larger task of organizing themselves inside and outside of the classroom. In fifth grade, your son's ability to schedule his time and organize his work is being further developed.<br />
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Thus, I suggest that you and your wife consider ways that you can support your son's efforts without getting in the way of him developing the organizational skills necessary for success in the middle school. He will be asked to independently initiate and complete even more complex and comprehensive assignments in middle school, so it is important that he is ready for that challenge.<br />
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Good luck!<br />