posted September 19, 2005 02:52 PM         

What do you think of young children getting homework, or youngsters of any age...

And where you live do you kids get much and if so do you find it an effort at times like when they are tired or want to go to friends to play etc?

Thanks guys

Love

posted September 19, 2005 03:00 PM         

I think homework is important. Personally, I don't think my kids get enough. They get a packet like BlueMoon's too. They are in 2nd and 3rd grade. The homework they get usually only takes a couple days (at 20 minute intervals) after school to complete.

On days they don't have any homework, I have grade appropriate workbooks for them to work in.

They can work in their workbooks, or read a chapter book for 20 minutes after school each day.

posted September 19, 2005 04:37 PM         

Educational psychologists my parents took me to found my IQ to be high, but suggested I write too slow. That was very true. Homework would take me forever if I did it.

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Is it still true in Ireland that kids who don't get good grades/marks are looked down upon by their peers? My Dublinner friend said that that was how it was there.

posted September 19, 2005 04:49 PM         

I think he's too young (emotionally at least) for spellings! I never got spelling tests that young.

He finds it very tiring, trying to write down his homework (he struggles with handwriting) but he does like to read so I'm not putting too much pressure on him at this stage. I think he gets enough handwriting practice at school.

posted September 20, 2005 08:14 AM         

Sue~ My little guy just started kindergarten and they have homework every night except Friday and their birthday. The assignments take from 5-30 minutes and they're designed to involve parental interaction with the days' lessons. Some of them are more fun and some are more work:

EX~ one day the assignment was to play "I Spy" with colors; another day we would work on writing his name, or reciting his address and telephone number.

The only thing I don't like is that from the time I get off work until he has to go to bed we only have four hours. If anything at all has to be done (grocery shopping, visiting a friend or relative) that makes it necessary to crunch homework in, and I don't like to rush through it. I want him to have a healthy attitude toward homework, not to look at it as a chore that has to hurry up and get done.

When he's older this won't be as much of a problem, but since he's only five he still needs a lot of sleep, so our after-school time is pretty short!

Overall I think homework is a good thing, especially for the parent who wants to be involved in their child's education. It's a great way to be involved, especially during the younger years. I also think that it's important for children to have unstructured time, like MNF was saying-- there is more to life than school!

posted September 20, 2005 06:02 PM         

Bluemoon... I loved your fishing game idea. Cute!

Devilfish... I like your method~ homeschool until jr. high, then adjust for HS and college. Very cool. I had always thought of homeschooling as all or nothing. I wish I could homeschool, but it's not feasible for me. Congrats on your kids' grades!

posted September 20, 2005 08:39 PM         

Got me out of doing boring stuff like chores around the house or eating dinners I didn't feel like eating . . .

"Oh, I'm busy with schoolwork . . . "
"Hmm, I am reading a book . . ."

After avoiding housework, as long as I diligently took my shower and put away the laundry and clean dishes, I got to watch TV . . . even got nice snacks.

Clever, eh?

posted September 21, 2005 09:40 AM         

Hi ILove,

How are you girl?

Well yes we both have Scorpio boys (phew). our little one will be 7 in November. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be an artist....he paint, paint, paints a LOT and sings and dances and plays instruments sometimes. He struggles with doing homework and always comes from school saying he is bored.His bedroom is like a fairy grotto.........we create magic!!!

He has a very strong imagination and school doesnt really fuel that I am afraid. I just explain to him that the things we learn at school are necessary but I dont put pressure on him all the time. If he is really tired I will write a note to his teacher and explain that he wasnt able to do homework......as a rule I would encourage him to do it, although I am not a believer of homework at such a young age. In Scandinavian countries the kids dont learn to read and write until they are 6 or 7 and tend to learn faster anyway!!

As for your little boy, being a Scorp myself, I ws a late developer, good at English and drama and music and that was about it...couldnt stand the rest.

What I do with our little one is encourage his creativity all the time (after all that is want he WANTS to do)......I think sometimes forcing a child only results in misery and rebellion. My mother was great for encouraging and saying "just do your best that is all you can do", I always found this comforting and fair and it took the pressure off me.

I was with my Scorpio music teacher today, he is a BRILLIANT musician...he felt dumb at school cos he couldnt grasp maths (like me)......he is now an amazing member of the community and everyone loves and respects him. OMG you should hear him play, he is MIGHTY !!!

ILove I would talk with the teacher and say that the reason he is restless is becos he has a highly creative personality....and research proves this type of person may be slower in certain other areas.

I know when our son comes in today from school.....I will give him an hour to rest and do what he wants....paint, play etc and then I will mention the "H" word....he will protest, but I willsay to him "no prob, I will help" and the struggle will be over (for another day)......

Deep in my heart, I know these kids are gonna turn out to be brilliant........after all whenever did an accountant go down in history as a prominent figure.....now Jimmy Hendrix, thats a different matter LOL !!!

Thanks again friends

posted September 21, 2005 11:03 AM         

As parents, one of our jobs is to teach our children to grow into responsible, productive adults that handle their business.

I think daily homework can help children achieve this.

I volunteer in the classroom pretty often. The children that don't always do their homework regularly are the ones who are considered slow, or don't know what's going on in class. They need lots of extra help.

The children that don't regularly do their homework are the ones who get bad marks on their report cards. I also assume the children who don't do their homework regularly are the ones who aren't going to grow into responsible, productive adults that handle their business. How could they grow into that? There is no one at home to help them achieve responsibility.

I don't see anything wrong with being required to do homework along with your children. It is our job as parents to be behind our children in their education. It is not the school's sole responsibility to teach our children. It is OUR responsibility as parents to back the teacher, and help our children learn in any way possible.

posted September 21, 2005 11:30 AM         

His teacher called his Da over after class yesterday and said to him "Your son is a very polite, quiet and sweet boy but is not afraid to stand in front of the class and speak up".....she is very pleased with his progress!!!

The one thing which saddened me about my own mum was the fact that she was so intent on controlling my sis and I she never was a friend to us........I wished she had of been.......it would have taken away some of my fear

posted September 21, 2005 11:54 AM         

There are many parents that are more friend than parent... and their children behave terribly.

I have a couple friends that I would love to sit down and lecture about the disservice they are doing their children by not having any boundaries, rules, chores, or requirements of them what-so-ever... basically because they are trying to be their friend... the cool parent. IMO, this is just as bad for their development as abuse. Its a whole other kind of abuse, really.

I just bite my tongue with these couple of gals. I have tried suggesting in the past (to one in particular) that maybe what she is doing, or NOT doing with her child creates his behavioral problems... Boy Howdy did she get p!ssed!

So, I learned my lesson there and don't bother to mention that maybe if she were to PARENT her child, he wouldn't behave like such a monster. If she wants to believe that his misbehaving is because he's a bad little boy, then go she can go right ahead. It is unfortunate that she will never know that her child didn't behave well because she wasn't a very good parent.

My sister is also a victim of the Friend/Cool parent. She is 17 years old, doesn't know how to fry an egg... much less unload a dish washer. She hasn't gone to school regularly since she was in 5th grade. She tells dad she doesn't feel like going for whatever reason, and he says, "OK", letting her get away with it to avoid confrontation.

He even pays her $35 a week to (NOT)clean the house. She never does it... he still pays her. Its sickening, really.

She has had three pregnancy scares this year, and to top it off has contracted herself a wonderful STD that cannot be cured. (Nothing life threatening, thankfully!)

The child has no idea how to be responsible for herself.