Older parent (Gen X) of grade schoolers and high schoolers here. While I don't believe in the efficacy of homework for kindergarten through second grade, I do think parents send a poor message to their children by blowing it off.

I'd rather turn the homework in late in kindergarten or first grade -- e.g., pace ourselves, if necessary -- than not do the homework at all. Learning how to study is important, and parents set the tone at home with their attitude toward it. Most homework is neither exciting nor fun, but it has to get done. I tell my fifth grader that school is her job. Because it is, for now. Developing good study habits pays off later.

OP, filling out the log is doing your child's homework, and sets a bad precedent. My kids did above and beyond the required reading, but one at a young age refused to turn in his log to the teacher that did nothing with them other than check a box. Prior to this, he loved the lists when they were assigned and seeing how many books he read. The check-the-box teacher didn't ask about what he read, didn't suggest books based on what he read, ... nothing. The natural consequence was a low effort grade that year, but the teacher wasn't satisfied with that. It got ugly. I did my best to support the teacher. Made him fill out the log and put it in his backpack in my presence. Then I'd find it rumpled on the porch. He would not turn it in -- even after filling the friggin' thing out. The teacher demanded compliance, made kids publicly sign and read aloud a pledge, and do other to try to bend them. He cried how the teacher valued the log more than the reading. I pointed out that working people had to turn in time sheets which was like a log. That wasnt good enough. My nose-in-a-book kid decided to retaliate and declared he would not read so that he legitimately had nothing to put on his log. That was was the last straw. I agreed with my kid about where the teacher's values were, and reminded him I was interested in his reading and enjoyed our book discussions. By the end of the year, he did the log but with my consent he only logged the minimum instead of everything he read, which he took weird satisfaction in. Sadly, I lost a lot of respect for that teacher.

My take on logs is this: if you're making kids do them, make sure they demonstrate value to your students. They aren't like math worksheet where you can see where kids might be struggling. Use the logs for book club or class discussion. Maybe even use them to show kids something like their reading endurance levels over time.

Anonymous wrote:Here is a different perspective. I think your attitude about homework/schoolwork makes a much bigger difference in whether a child loves learning rather than the mere fact of homework. If you act all sad and mad or if you blow it off and act like it isn't important then your kid picks up on it. What you're describing doesn't sound particularly onerous or outrageous. Children in the same grades in privates do a lot more than what you're describing. And frankly ACPS needs all the boost it can get. So if a little homework will help then do it.

I think the OP's attitude is totally fine as promoting reading for pleasure is more important at that age than trying to turn reading into a very structured activity, via daily logs.

OP, in your case (depending on how detailed the teacher wants the entries to be), I'd complete it very quickly yourself, or even have them practice writing out the easy part. But don't overdo it, if you notice kid getting stressed at all about it, skip it for that day. Most importantly don't let it get in the way of your child continuing to enjoy reading for interest and fun.

Not really. The poster finds it annoying that very detailed reading logs can induce bragging behavior in some kids. I agree with her, it's not good for kids to pick up on that (either by doing it themselves, or getting stressed about it). Reading shouldn't be turned into a competitive activity at this age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

WOW. I can't imagine what your life must be like if you and your kids truly find this so onerous. lololol

It was an annoyance. And it turned into a competition at school when the kids bragged about their logs. Kids were saying they were reading books well above their grade level (Jane Eyre in 3rd grade?? mm'kay). Kids turned in that they read over 100 pages in a book in 22 minutes. I mean, very obviously faked things.

My kid found it annoying to have to note the times and pages. Then she'd stress because she only read 20 pages and "Kara read 32 last night!" Then she started skimming and speed reading just to get more pages which meant she wasn't remembering or even enjoying the story.

Reading logs are a waste.

Soooo what you're really pissed about is that your kid can't keep up. Let's call a spade a spade here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

WOW. I can't imagine what your life must be like if you and your kids truly find this so onerous. lololol

It's not that it's onerous (did I say it was onerous?), what I was attempting to get across was that it's not effective. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/06/are-reading-logs-ruining-reading/485372/

Anonymous wrote:Just fudge the reading logs.

I always fudged those and the little practice logs when they were in MS band. Our MS required all students to either take guitar, band, or chorus. Neither kid can carry a tune, one has tiny hands and struggled during the "try it out night" with the guitar and the other had zero interest, so band it was for both. They were supposed to practice an hour each night and 2 hours each weekend day. I just signed pages and pages of the practice slips/log and they filled them in with fake numbers before class. Did they practice? Yes, but IMO, it's more important to focus on other academics vs. an instrument that neither was crazy about.

Both were avid readers and I found with the oldest, when the reading log was introduced, it made her want to read less. I told her that we were done with the reading log and just filled in fake times. Never even started it with my son and just faked it as well.

Homework is another issue. We never skipped HW sheets or anything like that. I wanted to set a good precedence and routine for coming home and doing their work after school. I'm glad I did this because both never really gave me any issues with getting their work done. No real tantrums that I saw my SIL deal with. She was one who allowed her kids to no do HW in elementary school and then got a rude awakening when they hit MS and HAD to do the work or get lower grades.

My kids actually practiced their instruments and they actually did their homework including their reading logs. You can definitely tell whether or not a kid has been practicing an instrument. It's very, very obvious...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

WOW. I can't imagine what your life must be like if you and your kids truly find this so onerous. lololol

It was an annoyance. And it turned into a competition at school when the kids bragged about their logs. Kids were saying they were reading books well above their grade level (Jane Eyre in 3rd grade?? mm'kay). Kids turned in that they read over 100 pages in a book in 22 minutes. I mean, very obviously faked things.

My kid found it annoying to have to note the times and pages. Then she'd stress because she only read 20 pages and "Kara read 32 last night!" Then she started skimming and speed reading just to get more pages which meant she wasn't remembering or even enjoying the story.

Reading logs are a waste.

My boys turned their logs in with their homework folder along with the rest of their homework. I can't imagine that they would have ever sat around bragging about the books they read or how many pages they read. They did talk to their friends about the popular books that they all seemed to be reading like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Yes, I got something similar and filled it out. Less than 5 minutes total and you ask the kid something about the reading he/she did and there's your sentence. No big deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

WOW. I can't imagine what your life must be like if you and your kids truly find this so onerous. lololol

It was an annoyance. And it turned into a competition at school when the kids bragged about their logs. Kids were saying they were reading books well above their grade level (Jane Eyre in 3rd grade?? mm'kay). Kids turned in that they read over 100 pages in a book in 22 minutes. I mean, very obviously faked things.

My kid found it annoying to have to note the times and pages. Then she'd stress because she only read 20 pages and "Kara read 32 last night!" Then she started skimming and speed reading just to get more pages which meant she wasn't remembering or even enjoying the story.

Reading logs are a waste.

Just fudge the reading logs.

I always fudged those and the little practice logs when they were in MS band. Our MS required all students to either take guitar, band, or chorus. Neither kid can carry a tune, one has tiny hands and struggled during the "try it out night" with the guitar and the other had zero interest, so band it was for both. They were supposed to practice an hour each night and 2 hours each weekend day. I just signed pages and pages of the practice slips/log and they filled them in with fake numbers before class. Did they practice? Yes, but IMO, it's more important to focus on other academics vs. an instrument that neither was crazy about.

Both were avid readers and I found with the oldest, when the reading log was introduced, it made her want to read less. I told her that we were done with the reading log and just filled in fake times. Never even started it with my son and just faked it as well.

Homework is another issue. We never skipped HW sheets or anything like that. I wanted to set a good precedence and routine for coming home and doing their work after school. I'm glad I did this because both never really gave me any issues with getting their work done. No real tantrums that I saw my SIL deal with. She was one who allowed her kids to no do HW in elementary school and then got a rude awakening when they hit MS and HAD to do the work or get lower grades.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

WOW. I can't imagine what your life must be like if you and your kids truly find this so onerous. lololol

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

It's a bit much for a K reading log, but the ones we get at our school that have less areas to fill in are filled out by the parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read:

Saying it's okay not do this homework is putting it softly. You SHOULD NOT have your child do this. It will ensure that she does not develop a passion for reading.

Anonymous wrote:If you are reading every night anyway, how is a reading log such a huge, onerous chore? It takes 5 minutes to write down what your kid read.

I'm not a teacher but I would think that the reading log might help a teacher to identify interests in her students. I never thought that they were a huge, big deal.

Then you were never handed a log like this one that my DC got:

Title:
Author:
Time you started reading:
Time you stopped reading:
Page you started on:
Page you stopped on:
One sentence about what you read: