I'm back at it again. For the whole month of November I will be blogging everyday.
In Honor of Diabetes Awareness Month.
In Honor of Diabetes Awareness Month.
That's right folks. EVERY DAY!!
I took the NaBloPoMo challenge for November. I did the same thing back in September and loved it, so I decided to have another go around. :) I'll be joining my friends; Meri, Jen, Wendy, Lora, Tracy and Sweet Mama.
Now as far as things on the home front.
I was really enjoying my Saturday until I looked through Peanuts Friday Folder from school. Then screaming at me were all these notes and graded homework. Normally this doesn't bother me but today it got to me.
There were notes from the teacher, "it is your responsibility to make sure your child is getting their homework completed every night." Really I get that, I don't mind helping with homework. But sitting there holding her hand each and every second just isn't what I had in mind. I thought we were supposed to be teaching them responsibility. How is it teaching them responsibility if we are constantly correcting everything they do? Doesn't that teach them that someone will always come around a "fix" stuff for them? Shouldn't there be consequences?
Well, yes they do have consequences. You see her homework counts toward her grade. So if I don't catch her "mistakes" and have her fix them before she turns the homework in then she gets marked down. How is that even fair? So it's all MY fault if she is getting less then and "A" average because I'm not correcting her homework before she turns it in. *sigh* Maybe I should just do her homework for her?!
Peanut also has at least an hour of homework each night. (did I mention that she is just in 2nd grade???) I help her with her 2 to 4 pages of homework along with going over spelling and vocabulary words every night. Someone please tell me how I am going to do an hours work of homework for each child once all three of them are in school in a few years??? That's our whole evening!!! How in the world does everyone balance this??
I apparently need to come up with a better schedule. I feel like we are rushed every night. Starting at 4p I get dinner on, 5p we eat. By 6p we are done eating and I usually have the kitchen cleaned up. 6p until 7p is usually homework time and then 7:30p is bedtime for the girls. (since Peanut has to get up at 6:30a so she is ready to leave by 7:30a.) I feel like there is no room for anything else except homework. I need the time to make sure Peanut is excelling in school. I want to give !00% but I'm not. I am exhausted, tired and short with the kids in the evening. I hate being this way.
So seriously my friends, I need your help! How do you handle homework in the evenings? I need some ideas to take some stress off of myself and still be able to give my all when I'm helping Peanut with her homework. If you don't want to comment please just send me a message to me at sweet2thesoul@gmail.com I want some ideas so fill my inbox or comments section up!
6 comments:
First I would check with the teacher to see if the homework is supposed to be taking an hour. They generally have an idea of how much time the child should be spending on homework and in any world an hour a night for 2nd grade seems a bit much. Here is what works for our house with homework.
When the girls get home they know its time to start on homework (sometimes they take a few minutes to wind down but no tv and no computer until the homework is done) They do the homework while I am making supper (on non dance nights) if they have questions they ask and I help but they do the homework. It shouldn't be so difficult that the child needs to have an adult walk them through it. Homework should be follow up on what was done in class. The exception to this is if they miss a day then I have to make time to sit with them. Portia, who is in 6th grade, when she has homework usually gets it done in 15 - 30 minutes. And her grades are very good.
That is a bit ridiculous. But I can relate on the homework issue. Cliffy is in 1st grade and it said at the beginning of school 10 minutes each day. We at least spend 30-45 daily on 3-4 subjects of homework.
Ewww. That seems crazy. Does the teacher have kids?!?
I can only speak for myself but as far as homework goes, I have kids read a poem to 5 people during the week. That's it. I tell parents to read with them everyday. I encourage them to read the books that come and and to look for sight words in every day life.
I think that being in school all day for kindergarten is enough. If they are working hard at school, they should not need to do hours of homework each night. Reading together is perfect. That should take 5-10 minutes.
But that's just me... I know how hard it is to do homework with your kid.
I'd love for all my parents to work with their kids. READ to them. Look for words. If papers come home that say "needed help" - them maybe go over it. But I work with the kids at school until they get it right. I don't send home papers with mistakes or "-5". To me, the point is to do it right.
Again, that's just me and my soapbox. I want parents to be involved and know what's going on... but that shouldnt take hours each night.
Joe is in second grade. He usually has math and vocab words that he does in about 20 minutes. He is supposed to read for a minimum of 20 minutes a night too...he usually does more, unless he has hockey or boy scouts. Bridget's teaches seems light on homework...Bridget may or may not have math (20 mins) and so far NO vocab. She, too, is supposed to read for like 30 minutes a day. She easily reads an hour...she loves to read.
I usually have them do their homework independently and then I check it over after they are done. I do let them play and have snack for 30-45 minutes after school...then homework...before more playing, while I get supper ready.
Love to you...hope the homework loosens up.
That is too much homework. I would say approach her about it...but what a meanie with that note! UGH!
We come home from school. Eat a snack and do homework. It needs to be done before dinner, or it doesn't happen. Maybe let her do it on her own and then scan it? But one hour?? That is crazy.
I HATE homework...always have. I don't like that these kids spend all these hours at school and then have to do more when they come home.
My oldest is in second grade, he usually has a math sheet that takes him 5-10 mins then either spelling or writing homework that also takes about 10 mins. He is also supposed to read for 20 mins (no prob... he LOVES to read!) Anyhow, I don't mind that little bit but if it was taking an hour or more, I would definitely approach the teacher. Last year, my son's writing teacher was having these kids write stories using their vocab words of the week together...it was a lot of work...for ME!!! Talked to his teacher, she had no idea so backed off.
This is how we handle the homework they have: when they get home, they get a snack and can play. Then when I start making dinner (sometime before 5p), they have to work on it. I am available to help at any time and when complete, I look it over and point out things he may want to change (but don't do it for him) If there is more to be done after dinner, it needs to be completed before they play or read. 3 nights a week, my 2nd grader has swim team practice so it has to be done by 6:30. Bedtime is always 8pm (...at least that is what we aim for!)
Anyhow, I would discuss this with your teacher and don't be afraid the tell her where you stand.
Post a Comment