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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To let ds take a bottle taped to an egg box into school as his 'art homework'

65 replies

Notmymuse · 26/02/2015 16:38

Ds is 5.
Homework was to make something with a plastic bottle and other recycled objects. I gave him a bottle and a variety of boxes and junk and left him to it.

He has created a 'tank' by sticking the bottle to half an egg box so it looks like the tank's tracks. He's put some stickers on the tank for the controls and had a very poor attempt at colouring the egg box. Oh and shoved some red tissue paper in the front of the bottle which is meant to be what the tank is firing.

It looks truly shit. However after being at work all day Monday - Friday I just haven't got it in me to create a junk modelling masterpiece. I know I will regret this tomorrow when all the other parents show up with awesome creations.

Aibu to let him get on with it?

OP posts:

SoonToBeMrsB · 26/02/2015 16:39

I would need a picture of his masterpiece before I felt comfortable answering

Titsalinabumsquash · 26/02/2015 16:40

YANBU, I hate it when kids are set homework and they then produce something that they've clearly had no input in, it teaches them nothing.

If my kids get homework, they do it themselves, if it's a poor attempt I ask them if they're happy to present it to their teacher, if they still think it's ok then they take it in.

TheSpottedZebra · 26/02/2015 16:41

Of course let him take it in! He made it, it's his tank.
I'll be easy to spot the ones that have been made by the parents the cheating twonks

ramblingmum · 26/02/2015 16:42

YANBU it sounds like he has done just what they have asked for. It's his homework not yours.

ToodlesMcToodles · 26/02/2015 16:42

YANBU. The clue is in the instruction - it's DS's homework. I think he sounds like he's done a fab job for a 5year old and would be very proud.

although I would be saying very loudly well done DS you did it all by yourself

RollaCola · 26/02/2015 16:42

And all the awesome creations will have been made by the parents not the children, and the teachers know that.

He made something by himself, it might be crap but so are most things made by young children. Send it in and don't stress.

cashewnutty · 26/02/2015 16:42

Of course you send it in. It was his homework and his creation. It sounds excellent and shows imagination.

Heels99 · 26/02/2015 16:44

Sounds perfect, he followed the brief and put extras on it to decorate. Job done.

Hakluyt · 26/02/2015 16:47

Why is that crap- it sounds great (particularly the red tissue paper). He's 5!

Please reassure us that you've told him it's utterly fantastic.....

Hakluyt · 26/02/2015 16:49

What you could do is make sure it will stay together- if necessary suggest a bit more tape. While,obviously, telling him it's wonderful.

CMOTDibbler · 26/02/2015 16:50

Yup, its what he did and thats good enough.

Just like I emailed in my ds(8)s 500 words short story which was appalling, unedited (undoubtedly unlike all the other kids with overcompetitive mothers) as it was his work.

queenofthemountains · 26/02/2015 16:56

I hate this, my youngest had to make a house in yr1, out of the whole class only hers and another girls looked like a 6 year old had made it. I don't mind it when the parents say they did it together its when they lie and say its all the kids own work. One of them had an led as a light bulb ffs how can a 6 yr old have wired this up??

Let him take it in and be proud he actually did it all himself.

LynetteScavo · 26/02/2015 16:58

Yanbu

But you do realise it will be in display in the corridor with his name of during the next parents evening for all to see and admire, don't you.

Doingthedo · 26/02/2015 17:02

I'd love it (as a teacher myself), at least he's done it himself, no point doing it for him!

annadina · 26/02/2015 17:03

It's his homework, he did it, he takes it to school. Simple.

I don't really care if mine do their homework or not - it's their choice, and they don't go out at playtime if it isn't done.

specialsubject · 26/02/2015 17:04

he's five. I think that is quite impressive.

send it in!

Original poster

Notmymuse · 26/02/2015 17:05

Oh god. Apparently it's a competition. Ds is all 'mine might win!'
Er no. It won't.

OP posts:

Original poster

Notmymuse · 26/02/2015 17:06

Here it is.

To let ds take a bottle taped to an egg box into school as his 'art homework'

OP posts:

Spybot · 26/02/2015 17:07

You are right to let him do his own idea and make it himself. When my son was in kindergarten they were given a task to make a toy or instrument out of recyclables or natural materials. He took an empty yoghurt pot and put some rubber banks over it to make a twangy 'string instrument'. On parents day I went in to see an entire table football set made out of loo roles and cardboard, and also a small canoe that had been hewn out of a log. I laughed aloud at that one. What five year old has takes a chisel and hollows out a log?!

HerRoyalNotness · 26/02/2015 17:08

Better that he presents his own work. I'm crap at art too, so would fare very badly if I stepped in to help a DC with this!

I'll up your homework assignement.

Grade 2 DS was asked to draw a house with specific measurements, and a PARENT had to do one as well. He has to return both of them to the teacher. WTAF? As if we don't have enough to do! We are also in an engineering heavy town, I'm fully expecting some to-scale CAD renderings being handed in by parents. I couldn't even be bothered colouring mine in, and we had to add trees and gardens..............

Spybot · 26/02/2015 17:09

I like how he is trying to show smoke and fire coming out the end of the cannon. I think it's good. At least you're teaching him to be honest!

HerRoyalNotness · 26/02/2015 17:09

Absolutely nothing wrong with that! He's done a lovely job, and used his creativity.

BMO · 26/02/2015 17:09

It's fine. That's what all 5 year olds junk modelling looks like

TheSpottedZebra · 26/02/2015 17:10

Oh come on, this is a stealth boast post, isn't it?

You can clearly see smoke, and flames, and the tracks of the tank. It's a work of genius.
Maybe the teachers will take parental input into account? Certainly my niece won for her easter bonnet, which was all her own work, unlike the very grown up looking bonnets of many of her classmates.

Millyx · 26/02/2015 17:10

go on youtube for ideas

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