Homework that is busywork - does anyone else just say no?

[Anonymous]

I don"t feel the need for homework or projects in elementary school. They should be able to get it done in class time, because until the end of fourth grade,, the kids are exhausted. Leave them alone! Later on, it matters.

[Anonymous]

I feel bad for kids whose parents can't be bothered to be involved in their education.

I do, too. But, school isn't the only venue for education. By the time my kids get home from school, they're exhausted. We don't do homework during the week and on the weekends, we do no more than 10 minutes per grade level. But, my kids have lots of educational opportunities they don't get in school and from which they benefit as much as homework/projects. If they have work that needs to be completed during the week, they can do it at school. It's never too early for them to learn time management skills and school/work/life balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my oldest was in K/1st grade, homework was a huge battle. When he was in 1st grade, I got some very welcome advice from his teacher that homework wasn't worth the battle. If he didn't do his homework at home, he could do it when other kids were doing independent activities during class. We later learned he (and his younger brother) have learning disabilities and low muscle tone. My kids are mentally and physically exhausted by the time they get home from school. I don't blame them for not wanting to do homework and, frankly, it has very little value since they're tired. At the beginning of each year, we discuss this with the teachers and arrange to have homework due on Mondays so they can work on it over the weekend.

I don't think they've missed out on anything and are doing well in school. When they come home from school, they spend 15 minutes cleaning up the house and then doing whatever they want (no screen time) for about 1 hour, they eat dinner and go to bed. There's not much time between when the get home from school and when they go to bed. They're doing the best they can and I see no need to push them more than they already are.

I think this is fine. You could have told the teacher that your kid was unable to do homework, but instead you found a way for them to complete it.

I remember in fourth grade we had these big projects we had to work on. I got paired with a girl in my class and we went to Navy Pier in Chicago with her mom (our project was on local landmarks). Then my dad built this big ferris wheel out of styrofoam. I thought it was so cool to "work" with my parents on this project. While I wouldn't want to do it every weekend, this does have some value, especially for the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I feel bad for kids whose parents can't be bothered to be involved in their education.

I do, too. But, school isn't the only venue for education. By the time my kids get home from school, they're exhausted. We don't do homework during the week and on the weekends, we do no more than 10 minutes per grade level. But, my kids have lots of educational opportunities they don't get in school and from which they benefit as much as homework/projects. If they have work that needs to be completed during the week, they can do it at school. It's never too early for them to learn time management skills and school/work/life balance.

+100000. I feel sorry for the parents who think their kid's education is limited to boring worksheets and craft projects - and that elementary school students need to start learning that the world is a boring place requiring them to do meaningless tasks! You know what, I grew up in an extremely intellectual household and I don't think I was asked about homework a single time (much less helped with it). Instead we discussed ethics, history, news, philosophy, and religion. And we all had regular chores, went to church together, ate dinner together every night, helped out in the garden, went on hikes on the weekends. Somehow we all survived and are in great careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I feel bad for kids whose parents can't be bothered to be involved in their education.

I do, too. But, school isn't the only venue for education. By the time my kids get home from school, they're exhausted. We don't do homework during the week and on the weekends, we do no more than 10 minutes per grade level. But, my kids have lots of educational opportunities they don't get in school and from which they benefit as much as homework/projects. If they have work that needs to be completed during the week, they can do it at school. It's never too early for them to learn time management skills and school/work/life balance.

Then I must have the most energetic kids in the world because six hours of school doesn't even remotely tire them out - mentally or physically.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I think there is a balance needed. My first grader has a playground that she is supposed to create at home that is supposed to be mainly created by her. She is not capable of doing this by herself. I have no problem working with her and find it to be fun...until I see on Facebook the other projects that were created- which were certainly not created mostly by the children. Now I am worried that when she brings her project in and the parents come to see them later in the week she will be embarrassed since it is her work (with help) and not just my vision and execution like some of the others I viewed. I work full time and do the best I can but cannot dedicate all of my time to a project, nor is it the right message for my child. Like the leprechaun trap mentioned earlier, if kindergarten/first grade level projects were what was expected everyone would be fine with it, but since the projects have gotten so out of hand, it takes hours of work and is not what the teachers intended (or at least not what I think they expect) and this is just so the children don't get embarrassed. Anyways, this is just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I think there is a balance needed. My first grader has a playground that she is supposed to create at home that is supposed to be mainly created by her. She is not capable of doing this by herself. I have no problem working with her and find it to be fun...until I see on Facebook the other projects that were created- which were certainly not created mostly by the children. Now I am worried that when she brings her project in and the parents come to see them later in the week she will be embarrassed since it is her work (with help) and not just my vision and execution like some of the others I viewed. I work full time and do the best I can but cannot dedicate all of my time to a project, nor is it the right message for my child. Like the leprechaun trap mentioned earlier, if kindergarten/first grade level projects were what was expected everyone would be fine with it, but since the projects have gotten so out of hand, it takes hours of work and is not what the teachers intended (or at least not what I think they expect) and this is just so the children don't get embarrassed. Anyways, this is just my opinion.

Agreed. I would be happy to help on one big project a year, but not every weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I feel bad for kids whose parents can't be bothered to be involved in their education.

I do, too. But, school isn't the only venue for education. By the time my kids get home from school, they're exhausted. We don't do homework during the week and on the weekends, we do no more than 10 minutes per grade level. But, my kids have lots of educational opportunities they don't get in school and from which they benefit as much as homework/projects. If they have work that needs to be completed during the week, they can do it at school. It's never too early for them to learn time management skills and school/work/life balance.

Then I must have the most energetic kids in the world because six hours of school doesn't even remotely tire them out - mentally or physically.

If my kids were only at school 6 hours, they might not be tired either but since DH and I both WOH full time, they go to before/after school SAAC. I wish we had the resources for the kids to spend less time in SAAC but we don't.

[Anonymous]

I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

[Anonymous]

What do these parents do during the high school years? THAT's when there's too much homework. Not in K or 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

I'm not bitching about it, I just don't require my kid to do it. But, since I'm just horrified that you (someone whose opinion I value so highly) look down upon me, I'll immediately change my ways! I do so want to earn your respect!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

I'm not bitching about it, I just don't require my kid to do it. But, since I'm just horrified that you (someone whose opinion I value so highly) look down upon me, I'll immediately change my ways! I do so want to earn your respect!

Rather than take your precious time to respond to posts on this site, why not go and help your kids? Your attitude on homework is directly beig passed on to your kids. Maybe if you did something constructive with them, that will pass to them too. Signed - a working, professional mother, with no childcare, who does her kids' homework with them daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a couple years away from having to face this but I fully plan on rebelling against meaningless homework, particularly stuff "we" are supposed to do (because ... I finished with homework when I graduated from law school, thanks!)

I expect my young child to do school in school. After school is for playing, sports, music, reading, chores ...

Is this a joke???

I have to think this is a joke. When did homework become optional???

You can teach your kid this, but I hope they fail...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a couple years away from having to face this but I fully plan on rebelling against meaningless homework, particularly stuff "we" are supposed to do (because ... I finished with homework when I graduated from law school, thanks!)

I expect my young child to do school in school. After school is for playing, sports, music, reading, chores ...

Is this a joke???

I have to think this is a joke. When did homework become optional???

You can teach your kid this, but I hope they fail...

Maybe if enough parents rebel against homework in the younger grades, schools will wise up and stop wasting everyone's time.

[Anonymous]

"Wasting time" by giving homework...load of crap. I'm sure we could take a peek at your week and find a ton of things your kids do that waste time that are less constructive than homework.