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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wish homework would just be simple so you can just get on with it?

43 replies

TunipTheVegedude · 21/04/2013 18:28

Instead of it demanding you find loads of things that you haven't got.

This week, ds1's maths homework requires 10 1p coins and 10 10p coins. We have scoured the house but only have 9 1ps and 4 10ps.
It also requires a grocery shopping receipt which we threw away after our weekly shop.

Shall we empty everything out of the bin to try and find it? Knock on the neighbours' doors and ask if they have one and if they can change a pound coin? We suggested making up a shopping receipt but he got stressed and said he would get in trouble if he didn't do exactly what it said.

In previous weeks we have had to spend 20 minutes cutting out counters before being able to play the maths game. Or the instructions say to glue things onto card, which clearly isn't important for a maths game but tends to result in a row with the kids if you refuse to do it.

Can't we just go back to learning times tables?

OP posts:
Original poster
TunipTheVegedude · 21/04/2013 18:29

Also, the instructions are usually very badly written and it takes ages to work out what you are supposed to do. I'm in favour of homework but most of the time spent on this is pointless.

OP posts:
soverylucky · 21/04/2013 18:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 21/04/2013 18:34

It's uncharitable towards teachers that I'm envisaging someone who's really, really, really nosy about what her class's parents eat every week, isn't it?

Can you not be shocked and very Eco and explain you do it all online so as not to kill trees?

prophylaxis · 21/04/2013 18:38

YANBU, sounds pretty stupid demanding you find a receipt, why not just provide one as part of the homework.

As long as you cover the concepts that need to be learned it doesn't really matter how you do it. You certainly don't need physical coins to do it.

Ruprekt · 21/04/2013 18:41

I do not mind homework and always support the boys with it but this weekend ds2 (y3) has to do a non fiction report on the Viking Longships using captions and labels blah blah

So much parental input it's not funny! Angry

Original poster
TunipTheVegedude · 21/04/2013 18:51

There is usually a sensible way to do it (like writing it on bits of paper, as you say) but I have to negotiate it with my kids IYSWIM and dd is very melodramatic and ds1 is very literal so often it takes as much energy persuading the kids it is ok to do it that way as to do the actual homework.

There was one week where we were supposed to use counters and dd got into a strop because I hadn't got any counters and wanted to use dried beans instead....

Now I have managed to persuade ds1 to use a made-up receipt and it meant at least i was able to cunningly make things up that didn't cost any more than 49p so we didn't need all the coins it said Smile

OP posts:
Pickles101 · 21/04/2013 18:53

YANBU. I hate 'helping' with homework.

moondog · 21/04/2013 18:58

I've just been seething over such a poorly designed worksheet that I have no idea how to go about it, and my poor ds less still.
I have circled myriad basic errors in texts.
I have noted errors that aren't even picked up when work is 'marked'.

A particulaolr low was the 'reading challenge' (I have an instant scalded cat response to a 'challenge') which required us to coulont how many workds we had read onto an expensively produced record card.

Gigantic waste of time.
I've long resigned myself to considering school is good for play but home is where they learn most of what they need. A petty really as someone else is being paid to do the teaching.

Moominsarehippos · 21/04/2013 19:02

Easy or hard, it still takes about two hours of 'have you done your homework yet?' 'Have you started your homework yet?' 'Where's your homework?' 'What's your homework?' 'Hadn't you better start your homework?' 'Why haven't you even sytarted your homework?' 'Do you know where you left your homework?' 'Oughtn't you look for your homework rather than play with your game?' ... Repeat until exhaustion kicks in for one or both parties.

moondog · 21/04/2013 19:04

Well I must say, I don't have any battles getting them to do it, because that is non negotiable. Access to things they like is dependent on them getting it done.

BrittaPie · 21/04/2013 19:10

Moondog - that only works if you don't have a child who will happily stare into space for hours...

moondog · 21/04/2013 19:14

I'd happily take that challenge on.

BrittaPie · 21/04/2013 19:26
Grin

What puzzles me is that she was HE till a few weeks ago, and I had no issues getting her to do work - she used to pick it up herself. But if it comes from school she either stresses over it, or blanks it.

Picturesinthefirelight · 21/04/2013 19:35

We have to have a shopping receipt with at least 10 items on it! Except I get my fruit& veg from the box scheme or market (no receipts), neat from the butchers (just a switch receipt no itemisation) and then just too up at the corner shop (max 3 or 4 items)

Absolutely stupid.

Startail · 21/04/2013 19:37

I'm still debating a stropy email about an impossible piece of Y7 German HW.

It was a beautifully unclear worksheet, which might have made a bit of sense with the textbook, but there aren't enough to bring home. The teacher is useless, but puts DCs in detention for undone HW.

DH eventually managed to hash something together with loads of very adult web skills and his scraps of German. No way could DD2 have done it.

moondog · 21/04/2013 19:39

'DH eventually managed to hash something together with loads of very adult web skills and his scraps of German. No way could DD2 have done it.'

Grin Teacher must be a fearsome Tarta,r Star. Have visions of yyour dh quaking at his computer. Grin
ModreB · 21/04/2013 20:30

This makes me so cross.

Homework up to Y6 is optional. If it's an effort or a pain, tell the school to feck off.

Homework from Y7 onwards is not optional, unless it involves a printer at home. We do not have a printer. If the school wants stuff printed off, give us a printer or forget it unless the DC's can print it off at school.

moondog · 21/04/2013 20:33

I disagree.
What;'s the point, frankly, of homework if it isn't an effort? Hmm
I think telling your kids it doesn't matter also undermines a teacher's authority which is bad news. I would never speak disparagingly of a teacher, or work they have set in earshot of my children.

It does however need to be logical and comprehensible which my ds's isn't.

Idocrazythings · 21/04/2013 20:34

I had to google the answer to DDs homework. And she is in reception!!!! How bad is that. I even have a degree! And no I'm not saying what the question was. Too embarrassing.

moondog · 21/04/2013 20:35

Oh go on!
We won't laugh much

stargirl1701 · 21/04/2013 20:37

Speak to your MP/MSP. It's them who want this. It's called 'Sharing the Learning'.

moondog · 21/04/2013 20:38

I'm more than happy to 'share the learning'
It's doing the lion's share of it that rankles.
(As if complaining to an MP would be useful-!)

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 21/04/2013 20:40

YANBU. We had a homework once where the child (DD was 7) had to write down what kind of house she lived in (owned, rented....detatched etc) and what jobs her parents did!

I wrote a note saying she wasn't taking part as it was prying!

Idocrazythings · 21/04/2013 20:42

No moondog I'd have to finish the bottle of wine I have had a few glasses from before I admitted to anything. Grin

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 21/04/2013 20:45

The recycling in our area is collected on a Thursday. The school is in our area. The truck goes up and down past the school.

So what day does the newsletter come out requesting cardboard boxes, plastic bottles etc etc?

Friday.

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