ryan is in third grade this year, so homework is nothing new. . .it's also not any easier
i don't know about homework time at your house - but at my house, it's usually a bit stressful
first of all i feel like we have to fit it into the rest of our night - which is not to say we don't take it seriously. . .only that by the time i get home from work, pick up the kids, and get settled in the house. . .it's after 5 . . .snacks, downtime and dinner prep are all on the agenda. . .then there's actually eating dinner and cleaning up.
do your kids take baths/showers?? if so - how do you fit in homework??? and if not. . .well. . .that's another blog post ;) that doesn't even take into account any sports, music, civic or religious activities and commitments. . .it's enough to boggle the mind
i've done a lot of reading lately on the No Child Left Behind program and how american schools are teaching to tests. . .it's distressing at the least - no wonder there is such a devotion to homeschooling.
but i am not that mom - i admire those that are. i am the mom that sometimes screams at my child that they are not taking this seriously enough. . .that they need to focus - pay attention - get this done.
i feel the pressure to perform - to conform to the "rules" and perceptions of what's "best" and "right". . .sometimes, i'm the mom that forgets to look at my child - and see who he really is and what he's capable of on that particular day.
i don't love any less - in fact - i love so much - that i want to make everything perfect all the time. . .even though i know that's not possible or even desireable. . .
but at the end of a long day - when blood sugar is low, when patience is low, when the weather is nice. . .homework is not at the top of my list either.
catch you soon -
Where do i start? 4 kids- 3 different skools - 4 different hw challenges. 9th grader does all his hw during a study session so he has none to do at home, 8th grader has minimum of 2 hours a night with lots of nagging, 5th grader has only what he doesn't finish in class - which means he brings nothing home - and 4th grader has read ALL the No Child Left Behind rules - so he refuses even to be tested. Even today, he told me he was handed a math test and he handed it back and said he wasn't going to take it becuz it wasn't a chapter review. My theory is - - if you don't have homework, I better see a book, newspaper or sports illustrated in front of your eyes between the hours of 7 and 8 pm. But my advice - break it down into small, 20 minute chunks. if the student can't get it done in 2 of them, let the teacher know. Maybe it's too much - or they missed the concept in class.
ReplyDeleteHomework is a HUGE issue in our house. My son (5th grade) is special needs plus ADHD and by the time school dismisses at 3:45 his meds are starting to wear off so that he will be able to sleep at night.
ReplyDeleteBy 5 he can barely concentrate, but he often does homework until past 7 when I insist he stop so that he can eat dinner & go to bed at a decent hour. If he does not finish his homework he "hates himself." belittling himself and sometimes even hitting himself.
Last year I sent note after note to school about homework few of which were even acknowledged.
This year I brought up the homework in the ARD committee meeting (committee that meets to figure out his educational plan for the year) - COMPLETELY different response from this group of administrators & spec. ed professionals. They are giving him a reduced homework modification... YAY!
- However, that was last week so it's not in place yet & we have been doing homework past 7 all this week.
I feel your pain. We get up early to finish homework a lot, we do a morning shower and since I have to stand just outside the stall handing him soap, shampooing and rinsing his hair.. it makes for a cold, wet Mom in winter. But it's a lot faster than the bathtub.
My boy gets perfect scores on the tests, but I hate those stupid tests! They're so busy teaching to those tests, that kids only get ONE recess all day long!
They eat lunch in the cafeteria (talking not allowed) then they have a 20 minute recess... that's it for the whole day. Oh, they also have to run two laps durring recess before they are allowed to play.