Consider instituting a family homework hour as the school year begins. It’s easy to do if you have the strength to turn off your electronics for an hour.
Select an hour in the evening when the family is home and settled. Make it an hour where everyone works on homework, quiet projects (reading, knitting, puzzles, etc.) or responsibilities (bill paying, research, sorting files). The purpose is primarily to support school-age students by providing an hour of quiet when work can be done without interruption by electronics such as phone calls, texting, computer games or social media browsing.
For preschool age students this is a time for them to play quietly, look at books or use simple art materials.
For young students the hour will give the adult time to assist them doing homework.
For older students it slows down the pace and provides an hour (that usually doesn’t require computer use) to focus on school projects, studying for tests, reading textbooks or writing rough drafts. Yes, I know writing on the computer may be faster, but handwriting uses different brain skills and often brings up different responses than using a computer does. I’m a writer. When I write longhand, my thoughts are different than when I compose on the computer.
Our fast paced world needs moments when we slow down and use quiet together time. Give it a try!