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AIBU?

to give my dc's some school work over the summer holidays

277 replies

justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/07/2016 13:15

My dc's 7 & 8 break up for the summer this week and I've bought them some English and maths work books to do over the holidays.
I usually do print outs of things that have come up on their reports that they have struggled with and set them a fun project.
Most of the summer is going to be about them having fun and enjoying some downtime. They have lots of friends round our area who they enjoy playing with all the time. Is it wrong for me to get them to do some work a few days a week for maybe 45 minutes at a time so they don't slip behind.
They're pretty average. My eldest tries hard and is doing well ut got a working towards in maths on her report and my youngest is very lazy and that did show on her report this year with a few working towards when I know she is capable. Do other people do this or am I being a mean mummy?

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NicknameUsed · 21/07/2016 13:16

I don't do this and don't know anyone else who does.

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katemiddletonsnudeheels · 21/07/2016 13:17

Mean mummy, sorry :)

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ClopySow · 21/07/2016 13:18

Mean. Very mean.

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AllTheFluffyAnimals · 21/07/2016 13:21

I do this, they usually actually ask for workbooks and printouts anyway - I enjoy doing sudoku and crosswords, they enjoy doing 'puzzle books'.

I'll be sending them to a couple of sessions of tutoring, again at their request because it is fun.

Both of mine are well ahead at literacy (a couple of years each) and dd2 is also ahead in maths. Dd1 is not as ahead at maths but still enjoys it (and of course gets just as much encouragement and praise). The tutoring is in maths as per their request, with my BIL who runs a kip mcgrath centre with my sister.

You will get a load of people on who don't think exercising your brain can possibly be fun for children though.

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AllTheFluffyAnimals · 21/07/2016 13:22

Mine are 6 and 9, btw

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DataColour · 21/07/2016 13:24

I think 45 mins a day is far too much but I don't think you are mean mummy.
The school has given my soon to be 6yr old some worksheets for the summer, and we will do them in a fun way and her and my DS who is 7 don't mind doing the occassional workbook/sheet. They like doing a few mins each day, maybe not everyday, at bedtime. Also reading everyday.
IMO it is important to keep up a bit of work during the holiday so they don't forget stuff. There's still plenty of time to play.

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Newtothis2017 · 21/07/2016 13:24

I am doing this with my 6 year old. Reading and writing in order to keep on encouraging her

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justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/07/2016 13:24

Wow that's amazing that they ask. In the past mine have enjoyed worksheets when they have got into it and feeling proud of themselves. But they have never asked. They've never had any tutoring of any kind as we can't afford it.
The school is very academic and some other children seem years ahead. I just don't want them to fall behind.

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smallandimperfectlyformed · 21/07/2016 13:24

I think it's perfectly reasonable and I'm quite anti hot housing children. If you were making them do full school days that would be mean, but I'm actually planning similar for my six year old dd (planning, it may or may not happen!!)

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AllTheFluffyAnimals · 21/07/2016 13:27

I can only afford tutoring because of mates rates, although I had been considering it before my sister started doing it and before I split with xh and couldn't afford it any more.

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justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/07/2016 13:27

Oh no data not every day. I was thinking have a routine of Monday, wednesday and friday mornings just after breakfast and before they go out to play.

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bumsexatthebingo · 21/07/2016 13:28

I would sooner try and do some things that are fun and educational than boring worksheets. Puzzle books are great for building maths skills, problem solving, attention etc. Ditto boardgames. Visit museums and galleries. Go to the theatre. Get some fresh air at the park.

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DonkeyOaty · 21/07/2016 13:28

We didn't bother.

What we DID do was the reading challenges every summer

link

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ItMustBeBedtimeSurely · 21/07/2016 13:30

Not at all mean imo, just sensible. We'll be doing a few over the holidays.

I don't want to teach my children that work is some kind of awful thing that should be avoided if possible. It's good for them to do a mix of things - lots of free play, outside adventures, but also some things to stretch their brains. It's not a punishment.

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justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/07/2016 13:30

We will do all those things aswell bingo. We also have a holiday planned so obviously no workbooks then 😂 imagine if ill even tried haha!

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AllTheFluffyAnimals · 21/07/2016 13:34

I used to home educate though, so maybe mine are used to my nonsense lol

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bumsexatthebingo · 21/07/2016 13:34

Well in that case I think the workbooks are unnecessary and likely to just turn them off learning even further. It will be seen as a chore.

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harderandharder2breathe · 21/07/2016 13:35

If you make it fun yanbu... There used to be puzzle books where you solve various logical puzzles, cracked codes, some maths etc, they were fun for me as a child

But plain boring maths and English worksheets? Yabu and mean mummy

Read with them, do puzzles with them, go on trips to educational places like living museums, castles, etc they can learn more having fun and doing things

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tiggerbounce77 · 21/07/2016 13:35

I think it's very sensible for you to be doing a little at home over the holidays, 6 weeks is a long time to not be doing any school work, I will be doing some extra maths, reading and handwriting through the holidays as I know this will be helpful for my dc

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RhinestoneCowgirl · 21/07/2016 13:40

We won't be doing worksheets here (DC 7 and 10). We have ordered a tonne of books to read from the library and will probably do some baking, the odd museum visit. Pens and paper are available if the muse takes them, one of them might write a postcard to a grandparent...

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Cadenza1818 · 21/07/2016 13:41

I'm a really pro 'kids need a break in summer' kinda parent. That said I usually encourage a project./ scrap book. education is in everything and I think separating things into 45mins of 'work' makes it boring. So, why not get them to buy some sweets at shop (maths - get them to work out money), bake (maths - double recipe), write a story of their day (writing), go out on a walk and find flowers from a flower book, identify and draw (art and science), go to a museum and report (history and writing5) and reading is in everything so easy to do. Etc etc mine do love the maths and English books from wilko though and will voluntarily work through them.
Happy holidays :-D

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Artandco · 21/07/2016 13:44

Yes. They have homework sent by the school also. Works out at roughly 30 mins each day. So some days they will do extra, some days none, some days the set 30 mins only. They read every day with Dh or I also.
It's a long summer (2 months here), so I worry they will forget otherwise and find the first term back a challenge

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wornoutboots · 21/07/2016 13:45

I'm doing this.

My son tends to disappear into his own world a lot, but he's made some big steps this last term and his teacher and I think it'll be a benefit to have him work a couple of mornings a week to help him not lose that concentration again.

I don't care if that makes you all think I'm mean :)

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loosechange · 21/07/2016 13:48

I'm planning about half an hour of "homework" a day from after next week. Partly so they don't lose ground, but mainly because I figure it will stop them complaining they are bored. They will whinge about the homework instead.
Grin

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justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/07/2016 13:49

Thanks everyone and lots of brilliant ideas there Cadenza Smile my eldest just needs some maths practice. She is on track with everything else. I just worry as she is going into year 4 and the pace speeds up every year. I find the school expect alot from them.
My youngest basically gave up last year and I felt the teachers had given up on her too because she just wasn't trying. Anyway I started working with her at home after a horrific parents evening and her teacher commented a few weeks later about how well she was doing and that there was a noticeable difference in her work ethic. So it does seem to make a difference. But because of half a year of not trying and me not being told she fell behind and they'd all moved on without her.

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