Hates homework

And homework time often takes place when kids are wiped out and grumpy. “You have to do homework at the end of the day when all of your self-control is depleted or your willpower is depleted. So it’s asking something very difficult of children, especially younger ones,” she says.

In Bird by Bird, the writer Anne Lamott famously describes her 10 year old brother’s despair at having left a big homework project—a report on birds—until the last minute. “…he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead.

“To reinstate that self-control, your blood sugar level needs to be rising.” So when kids say they hate homework, Carter says, “You can say, well you’re going to hate it a little bit less if you have a snack.” Offer something that’s protein-rich, and don’t forget to hydrate with a big glass of water.

“Tell it to the teacher.” When kids complain they have too homework, they often have a point, says Madeline Levine, psychologist and author of The Price of Privilege. Once kids are a little older, they can start learning to advocate for themselves and talking to their teacher about the workload.