To think that primary school children should not be given homework.

[darcymum]

My eldest DC has just started reception and came home one day with three pieces of homework! Ok it was only a few reading books and a picture to draw but still... AIBU to think she should be out playing.

I HATE homework. It causes nothing but arguments & stress in our house.

Yup Pisces, our school had a biscuit making competition, and I swear some of the entries from the 'reception children' were made by bloody professional pastry chefs. And because entries were supposed to be anonymous one set of parents had written (next to incredibly elaborate gingerbread men with clothing and even earrings made of icing) 'This is my nursery teacher XX and our Teaching Assistant Y' on a bit of paper to try and sway the judges. Pah!

We had spelling corrections tonight. Ds has to write the words he got wrong in a book. He gets upset that I cannot deliver on the various bribes I've offered for him to get all his spellings correct. Even though he knows he has done no work to merit getting them all correct.

Where learning new spellings is concerned. I have tried to make it fun. I have even suggested he doesn't need to write them out, simply say them. Doesn't work either.

CCF I realised that I wasn't cut out to be a parent when I failed to get ds black trousers for the nursery Christmas production. I turned up to find other children dressed as trees in the most elaborate costumes made by their too much time on their hands mums.

Oh Lordy, dressing up days are nightmares, aren't they? I remember running up a full medieval rig at midnight once. WHy? Why?

Have been mulling this over on and off all week... especially those articles.

And when DD2 started her usual whining over one piece of homework in particular (four a night, this is Y1 after all... ), I said, "Don't do it, then."

We shall see if I get away with it like an earlier poster - or not!

Anyway, shows some people are open to changing their mind... :)

My dd's (age 5) time between returning home from school and going to bed-
3.45- 4pm home from school and little snack (milk)
4-4.30pm homework
4.30-5pm play/tv/whatever
5-5.45pm tea
5.45-7pm bath, milk, stories and school reading books in bed, toilet, bed.

So, 30 minutes of free play at home per day, not enough imo. She is also really tired after being at school all day and having trouble getting up in the morning. I would like to get her into bed a bit earlier but that would leave her no free time for playing in the week.