WASHINGTON — Now that local schools are back in session, it’s time for the big battle: getting kids to do their homework.

A parent’s level of involvement depends on the child: Some kids want to be more independent, while others might need more help.

“You don’t want to do it for them,” says Eleanor Mackey, a psychologist with the Children’s National Health System.

All the same, she says there is a role for parents to play.

Some kids have a tough time figuring out how to attack all their assignments. In those cases, Mackey says, “their parent needs to sit down down with them and go ‘ok, class by class, what do you have to do?’”

The goal is to help students develop the skills they need to accomplish the task on their own, like coming up with a strategy for approaching a problem.

Mackey says little children definitely need more supervision, and it helps for a parent to be nearby when homework is being done.

As for how to encourage kids to do their best and focus on their work, she says don’t underestimate the power of parental praise. She says in most cases, it can do more to motivate a child than a gold star.