Why I Think Homework Is Just For Parents

I used to think that homework was a great idea.

After all, it ‘reinforces’ what the children learnt that day, and yes I think parents should be involved in their child’s learning. But what makes me positively furious is the homework set just for parents.

By the way, last time I posted this, I got called up to the Principals office..just say’n.

I’ll give you an example..

Little Johnny comes home at 5 years old having to do a project on dinosaurs. He will be graded on information, pictures and presentation. The thing is, even though little Johnny is learning how to read, there is no way on God’s green earth that he can write ‘dinosaur’, look up information on dinosaurs, or find a picture of a dinosaur that wouldn’t be in his colouring book. Even I have to think twice before spelling dinosaur correctly, before typing it into Google to find the picture of the one my kid is talking about. FFS.

This is what I call ‘Homework for Parents’. Work deliberately out of reach of the children, that in reality, parents have to do.

The thing is most parents these days are both working full time.  They struggle to get a meal on the table by 6pm and are expected to not only supervise small humans, but ensure life necessities are provided and standards of living are met, every single evening. One of the only good things about being an adult, is that you don’t have homework anymore.

We’ve done our bit; we’ve mustered through all those useless algebra crap and excessive literacy facts that realistically you will never use in your adult life, now it’s our own kids’ turn. And I don’t recall my mother ever having to assist me in the completion of a ‘project’ at the age of 5, so why am I expected to finish my day of work, then have to complete an hour’s worth of homework that, rightfully, my child should be doing, but intellectually cannot?

This morning, my son got a good ‘dressing down’ from his teacher (deliberately right in front of me) about forgetting his library bag. ‘You need to be responsible for your own things’. Yes, yes I agree that he needs to be responsible for his own things, but he is 5.

He doesn’t even realise it is Monday today. If I hadn’t have carried out the usual school morning routine and actually told him he was attending school today, he probably wouldn’t have even been there! And yes, I know you supplied us with a very efficient little weekly schedule that lets us know when we should be remembering our library bags/sports shoes/show and tell item etc, but to be honest, it got hidden under the dog’s worming tablet reminder thingy, a few hundred inspirational fridge magnets and about 14 birthday party invitations before the end of term 1. But thanks for reminding me again what a disorganised mother I am, and for instilling an unnecessary level of anxiety in my child regarding his library bag.

I am sure I will hear of nothing else apart from the importance of taking his bloody library bag every day for the rest of the year.

Is this what being a school parent has become?

An endless tirade of belittlement, via my child, for not remembering a superfluous school item? Unpaid overtime at the dining room table as I try and not only identify, but describe, draw and categorise our prehistoric counterparts? Maybe they should simply be teaching my child how to Google and make a phone call. After all, that’s the only real life skill I can see him using when he forgets anything, or has to complete his own child’s homework, when he grows up!

Pfft.  Come on!!!

So my kids hardly ever do homework. Yes we read, yes we do some maths games.  Yes I care about how they are at at school. But I refuse to conform.  Refuse! We have a ‘guide’ on what they need to pack in the mornings – but yes sometimes they forget to look at it.  So they miss out on library for that week. Boohoo.

I don’t need to be called up by the teacher to tell me about his library folder – he forgets, he just doesn’t get any books. Simple. Don’t put that shit back on me!

Homework needs to be either done in a homework club at school (during school hours), or just have something lightly set like – read 20 minutes  per night – which we do anyway!  As kids get older, yes of course, they can do more, read more, understand more – and do it them-bloody-selves!

There’s my RANT!!!

Peace out!

xx Jody