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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not give my reception child homework over the summer holidays

88 replies

messybessie · 30/07/2011 09:02

I appear to be the minority.

I'm not completely lax, I have bought him a scrapbook and asked him to draw a picture everyday and he can write something if he wants to.

We've been to the library and joined their summer reading scheme.

But, most of my other friends seem to have devised daily maths work, phonics work, formal handwriting
practice, proper reading plans.

I'm being slightly made to feel like I'm the only one who is not a complete loon.

OP posts:

RockOnMrs · 30/07/2011 15:56

YANBU. I am only making my DS (aged 7) do a very small amount of reading or writing each day during the holidays because he is dyslexic and if we let him have 7 weeks with no literacy practice at all, he would struggle even more when he went back to school in September.

What this means in practice is that he reads 2-3 times each week, and does a few lines out of his "Get Ready for Year 3" workbook 2-3 times each week, under huge protest, poor little soul. If he wasn't dyslexic, I would be much more chilled out about it all.

I completely agree with the poster above who said that she had no wish to turn her home into a school.

That said, some children really do love doing homework! I was one such child and so is my DD. All kids are different, and need to be treated as individuals when it comes to learning and homework.

everlong · 30/07/2011 16:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bumbleymummy · 30/07/2011 16:45

Some children enjoy reading, learning to write and do math. Tbh I think it's not doing children any favours to label those activities as work/uninteresting/something to take a break from during holidays because it creates a negative impression of something that can actually be enjoyable.

simpson · 30/07/2011 16:52

I am doing a small amount of work with DS (5) each day, maybe 15mins in total.

Some reading, writing, spelling etc but tbh he loves school and is devastated that he can't go for 6 wks

exoticfruits · 30/07/2011 16:58

They are all loons! (unfortunately very sad for their DCs)
Don't get made to feel guilty-what you are doing is fine-enjoy the summer.

exoticfruits · 30/07/2011 16:59

It is different if it is the DCs choice-but I expect that it is adult led in the case of your friends.

talilac · 30/07/2011 17:01

We're very achievement orientated in this family. Currently the kids are engaged in a focus activity in the garden.

They are exploring what happens when you add a vast quantity of water to soil. Because they are excellent multi taskers, they have added an artistic element to the activity by painting the resulting mixture on to their bodies.

So far, its kept them occupied for a good hour.

bumbleymummy · 30/07/2011 17:08

But exotic - if parents avoid it completely because they are of the opinion that it is 'work' and should be avoided during holidays then surely that is 'parent led' too?

ll31 · 30/07/2011 17:20

surely the great thing about holidays is just that - they're holidays... I really don't think any 5 yr old is going to lose out cos he does no "work" during summer...

SarfEasticated · 30/07/2011 17:21

good point bumbleymummy. By avoiding any kind of reading/writing/rithmatic over the summer holidays aren't you giving the impression that it's work and something to be avoided if you get the chance. My DD is 4 and she loves writing reading etc (well her versions of it), I'm hoping that that love of learning will keep going throughout her life.
Obviously I don't advocate locking them in dark rooms until they have done 8 hours of algebra (unless they want to of course (:))
OP sounds like you have the right idea though.

forehead · 30/07/2011 17:46

Some posters have suggested that parents who do some work with their kids during the summer are 'loons'. On the contrary, i believe that my children are at an advantage, because the fact that there is some structure remaining during the holidays, means that it is easier for them to settle back at school. In fact the headteacher at my dc's school actively encourages Summer homework.
Some posters seem to feel that studying and having fun are mutually exclusive. There is loads of time to have fun fgs. Dont try to alleviate your own guilt by criticising parents who choose to help their own children. This attitude also fosters a dislike of learning, because as another poster pointed out, learning becomes more of a chore, rather than something to be enjoyed.

exoticfruits · 30/07/2011 18:00

If you have everything available-e.g pencils, paper, even some work books and leave it entirely to DCs then it is DC led. If they don't want to touch it they won't and they can use it if they won't. I would be very surprised if any of them decide to sit down for exactly 30 mins per day!

exoticfruits · 30/07/2011 18:01

Sorry- don't know what happened there! They can find it if they wish.

Sirzy · 30/07/2011 18:05

There is a big difference though forehead between encouraging them to do the odd bit of reading/writing/maths and forcing them to sit down each day and do it. Personally I dont like the idea of forcing them to do anything like that during the holidays. When you have holidays from work would you like to be forced to sit down and do half an hours work each day?

When I was little my school holidays were full of fun things, never had to do any schoolwork. Looking back now I can see though that a lot of the things we did including aspects of learning but in a subtle way - much better approach IMO.

alowVera · 30/07/2011 18:28

Dd has been give a scrapbook/diary as homework from school. And I make sure that she writes in it at least every other day. And does some reading on the other days. We do nature trails. And some Maths. Not written down structured Maths, but more ingrained in the games we play.
Also have a set time each day when we specifically work with dd2, (sn) getting her to develop skills like sharing, matching shapes/colours, we also have someone come and work with her a couple of times a week.
Generally we stop if they want to stop. If it's not fun, we don't do it.

everlong · 30/07/2011 18:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alowVera · 30/07/2011 18:44

everlong

Sirzy · 30/07/2011 18:45

I would imagine it takes much more imagination to actually go out and do something with your child than it does to sit them down with a workbook everlong. Perhaps the parents who do that cant be arsed doing anything fun with them!!

forehead · 30/07/2011 18:52

Actually Sirzy, even as an adult, i find it difficult to get back to normal after a holiday. Can you imagine how difficult it is for a young chlld to settlle back into school after the holidays? That is why it is important to maintain some structure. I am not advocating spending 5 hours a day fgs., but an hour a day is fine.
Agree with everlong-- most of you naysayers can't be bothered, which is fine, but i wish you would refrain from trying to make out that people like myself are insane fgs.

everlong · 30/07/2011 18:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

juuule · 30/07/2011 18:58

Yanbu

alowVera · 30/07/2011 19:15

Exactly everlong

eaglewings · 30/07/2011 20:06

Talilac has the right approach. Is it time to discover what happens to the level of fluid in a container when a mass ( of muddy body) is immersed in it?

SharperSeven · 30/07/2011 20:24

I think it is really important to do some sort of structured work over the holiday. eight weeks or so is way too long for little ones to do no writing or number work. Mine are grown now, but from age three we would do a little each day- anything from compiling a picture dictionary to writing their names on the patio with squeezy bottles of water or chalks. They both loved reading and it was not considered to be work.Maths would include counting out coins for ice cream but we also had "six a day", "seven a day" etc. sum books and they were encouraged by school to do a page of this a day.
We would probably spend twenty minutes a day on the formal aspects, and about eight hours of incidental learning took place too.
Whilst actually away on holiday we would not do any formal stuff but of course there was lots of engineering done on the beach, and then there were the rock pools...
My daughter would insist on taking her flute with her on holidaytoo...

Sirzy · 30/07/2011 20:28

Most of what you describe there though is fun where as you say they dont consider it learning. That is very different from making them sit down each day and do half an hours work.

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