Taking time to set up the right area for your kids to do their homework will send out the message that you're taking this seriously - and they should too.

Every parent dreads the nightly homework battle, and when you work yourself or household chores sidetrack you from monitoring your child’s progress, homework can suffer. When Supernanny Jo Frost visited the Clause family, she found it wasn’t unusual for Brandon, 11, and Caila, 8, to still be up doing homework as late as 11pm – a time when they should have been catching the ZZZZs they needed to stay alert at school the next day.

Although the kids’ whining and backchat had a lot to do with their parents' failure to keep a closer eye on how their children were doing – and if they were actually completing assignments – Supernanny felt that getting on board with homework was the first step in encouraging a better attitude from Brandon and Caila. The homework station technique was her solution – use it as a tactic to formalise your child’s homework routine.

Step 1: find a quiet place

It needs to be an area where your child can work without being disturbed by noise, but convenient so that you can step away from what you’re doing to help if necessary.

Step 2: set up a workstation

Ideally it should be a well-lit desk or table that’s large enough for your child to be able to open up two or more workbooks at once if necessary, and complete with a dictionary, paper, pens and pencils. There should be a power point close by for a computer or laptop.

Step 3: track assignments

Pin a calendar or planner up on the wall so you can stay organised when it comes to tracking and prioritising assignments. Supernanny color-coded the Clause planner so Mum, Dad and the kids could instantly see when an assignment had been set and when it was due.

Step 4: stay organised

Have ‘incoming’ and ‘outgoing’ trays so your child can deposit her folder when she gets home from school and have a snack before doing her homework; and have a dedicated area to place her folder of completed assignments that you can sign off on.

Step 5: be firm

Be strict when it comes to setting a time for your child to do homework and enforce consequences if she doesn’t complete her assignments when she should. In doing so you’re helping to teach her good work habits that will come in useful once she is in high school and juggling assignments from several classes at once.