Routines teach kids to work, then play

Gannett News Service

Routine. Routine. Routine. That's the mantra parents should adopt for their children's after-school time, say experts.

Moms favor starting homework immediately after kids come home from school and they've emptied their backpacks and filled their stomachs with a snack.

"If you decide to let them play (for) more than an hour, it's too hard to pull them back," says Kelley Wolfe, mother of two. "They come home, get a snack and drink and then sit down and do their homework," she says.

The exception is teenagers, who tend to have after-school activities or jobs and more homework, which can push their study time later in the evening.

Parents need to limit multitasking. Focus on helping kids establish routines and organizing systems, says Ellen Parlapiano, co-author of "Mompreneurs" (Perigee, $14.95). Here are five tips:

1. Have a designated place for homework.

2. Keep extra school supplies.

3. Remove distractions and turn off the TV

4. Pack lunches the night before.

5. Lay out clothes the night before.