Homework in Kindergarten is ridiculous!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

OP here. Please elaborate. I have a job. I would love to be an heiress but alas, that is not my lot in life. I think it's normal to work to put food on the table, a roof over your head is it not? And if this is in reference to having two working parents - I'm afraid that's far and away the norm these days. Most, us included, have no other way of making ends meet.

Please spare us the guilt trip. Nobody is ragging on two working parent families. All I'm saying is that at some point your kid is going to have homework and if your excuse is that you only get 2 hours a night with them due to your work schedule then what are you going to do later in their school career when not doing homework is detrimental to their academic career? You're blaming the school for not catering to your work/home schedule which is completely unrealistic. You need to adjust your schedules--not expect the school to adjust their expectations of your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

You, this PP, are an ahole.

The truth hurts. You must be one of those people who expects everyone to accommodate you and your particular circumstances, right?

[Anonymous]

Nope - the K kid who is exhausted and has to be in bed by 7:30 or 8 will grow into a 2nd or 3rd grader who can stay up another hour.

OP, I agree with you that anything more than "read to your child for 15 minutes a day" is overkill for homework in K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

OP here. Please elaborate. I have a job. I would love to be an heiress but alas, that is not my lot in life. I think it's normal to work to put food on the table, a roof over your head is it not? And if this is in reference to having two working parents - I'm afraid that's far and away the norm these days. Most, us included, have no other way of making ends meet.

Please spare us the guilt trip. Nobody is ragging on two working parent families. All I'm saying is that at some point your kid is going to have homework and if your excuse is that you only get 2 hours a night with them due to your work schedule then what are you going to do later in their school career when not doing homework is detrimental to their academic career? You're blaming the school for not catering to your work/home schedule which is completely unrealistic. You need to adjust your schedules--not expect the school to adjust their expectations of your child.

You're overlooking the kindergarten aspect of this post. There is an undeniable difference between the emotional/developmental needs of a 5 year old and that of an older elementary school kid. Older elementary school kids can also read so they can do their homework without their parents help - hopefully before their parents get home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

OP here. Please elaborate. I have a job. I would love to be an heiress but alas, that is not my lot in life. I think it's normal to work to put food on the table, a roof over your head is it not? And if this is in reference to having two working parents - I'm afraid that's far and away the norm these days. Most, us included, have no other way of making ends meet.

Please spare us the guilt trip. Nobody is ragging on two working parent families. All I'm saying is that at some point your kid is going to have homework and if your excuse is that you only get 2 hours a night with them due to your work schedule then what are you going to do later in their school career when not doing homework is detrimental to their academic career? You're blaming the school for not catering to your work/home schedule which is completely unrealistic. You need to adjust your schedules--not expect the school to adjust their expectations of your child.

You're overlooking the kindergarten aspect of this post. There is an undeniable difference between the emotional/developmental needs of a 5 year old and that of an older elementary school kid. Older elementary school kids can also read so they can do their homework without their parents help - hopefully before their parents get home.

So you think 1st and 2nd graders won't have homework then either?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

OP here. Please elaborate. I have a job. I would love to be an heiress but alas, that is not my lot in life. I think it's normal to work to put food on the table, a roof over your head is it not? And if this is in reference to having two working parents - I'm afraid that's far and away the norm these days. Most, us included, have no other way of making ends meet.

Please spare us the guilt trip. Nobody is ragging on two working parent families. All I'm saying is that at some point your kid is going to have homework and if your excuse is that you only get 2 hours a night with them due to your work schedule then what are you going to do later in their school career when not doing homework is detrimental to their academic career? You're blaming the school for not catering to your work/home schedule which is completely unrealistic. You need to adjust your schedules--not expect the school to adjust their expectations of your child.

You're overlooking the kindergarten aspect of this post. There is an undeniable difference between the emotional/developmental needs of a 5 year old and that of an older elementary school kid. Older elementary school kids can also read so they can do their homework without their parents help - hopefully before their parents get home.

So you think 1st and 2nd graders won't have homework then either?

I haven't seen any studies that say that homework - beyond reading to a kid - is helpful to their overall academic achievements until middle to late elementary school.

Kindergarten - No brainier that there should be no homework
First grade - Rarely (extra help where needed to keep up)
Second grade - Seems like debatable territory

[Anonymous]

I'll read my child a bedtime story or two, or three. If any other homework suggested, it might get done in the morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll read my child a bedtime story or two, or three. If any other homework suggested, it might get done in the morning.

God bless you if you can pull that off. I cannot imagine adding another thing to our plates in the morning and still being able to get out the door on time.

[Anonymous]

Homework helps you keep up with what the class is doing, how your child is progressing, and what struggles he or she may be encountering. Homework once or twice a week that can be done in a few minutes can be beneficial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DCPS doesn't have K homework, so why are you "shaming" all of DCPS? Go talk to your Principal.

How to be a better person:

"That sounds frustrating. Just so you know, our DCPS doesn't have K homework - so this may be an issue / policy for your school in particular. I would talk to your principal."

Meh. Cheesy word padding doesn't really change the point. Your version just sounds condescending.

[Anonymous]

I get home at 5:30, so we have a bit more time, but we just folded this into our after-dinner routine. DH cleans the dishes and watches our youngest while my K daughter and I do the homework in the kitchen.

So far, so good. I'm sure there will be nights when it is challenging. I think if that happens, we'll scrap it and do our best in the morning.

It's OK, OP. It will all become routine after a few weeks. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Homework in kindergarten is just an assignment for the parents. No homework yet for our first grader (at a charter). We read books at bedtime and try to get him to read the book at least a couple times a week, but that's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get home at 5:30, so we have a bit more time, but we just folded this into our after-dinner routine. DH cleans the dishes and watches our youngest while my K daughter and I do the homework in the kitchen.

So far, so good. I'm sure there will be nights when it is challenging. I think if that happens, we'll scrap it and do our best in the morning.

It's OK, OP. It will all become routine after a few weeks. Hang in there.

Same. One of us would have our Ker do HW while eating a snack, while the other walked the dog or got dinner started. No biggie, and kid actually like it, since it was part of after school routine since PK3. Not sure it was always a full 20 minutes per day, though.

I agree OP’s kid may be experiencing some anxiety, which may be more of the issue at this point. Hopefully that’ll get better as the school routine gets more esstablished over the few weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get home at 5:30, so we have a bit more time, but we just folded this into our after-dinner routine. DH cleans the dishes and watches our youngest while my K daughter and I do the homework in the kitchen.

So far, so good. I'm sure there will be nights when it is challenging. I think if that happens, we'll scrap it and do our best in the morning.

It's OK, OP. It will all become routine after a few weeks. Hang in there.

Same. One of us would have our Ker do HW while eating a snack, while the other walked the dog or got dinner started. No biggie, and kid actually like it, since it was part of after school routine since PK3. Not sure it was always a full 20 minutes per day, though.

I agree OP’s kid may be experiencing some anxiety, which may be more of the issue at this point. Hopefully that’ll get better as the school routine gets more esstablished over the few weeks

The frustration of trying to log onto a system that is not working is hard for a 5 year old. They have built it up in the classroom that they have something to do on the computer and they have now failed since they were told they need to do something and they did not.

Clearly this is not the reality - but messaging as interpreted by a 5 YO is different than how an adult will deal with it b/c they have more life experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do it. Take the packet the day it is sent home. Write a note on it saying that in your family you are choosing to reinforce learning in other ways.

Send it back when it is due so your child has something to hand in.

OR - just throw it out. We did. Our upper NW school still allows us to re-enroll.

Totally agree. Do what’s right for you’re family and ignore PPs who try to shame you for working outside the home to to do things like, you know, put food on the table. You should probably let the teacher know not to expect homework packets completed regularly. Be kind. Don’t get up on your high horse though (ie don’t make most of the arguments in your OP to the teacher).