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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to spend time at weekend doing this sodding homework?

158 replies

eleflump · 29/11/2015 18:36

I know I probably am BU...

DS is in Year 7, and has to do a project on castles. He has to do research on various types of castle - do labelled drawings, write about them, all ok.

Except the last task - to make a model of a concentric castle. Which needs to take at least two hours.

I work full-time, DH works full-time, and next weekend I am also working Sunday, which leaves me Saturday to do everything I need to do. And Christmas is coming.

I was crap at art projects at school, thirty-odd years later, it hasn't got much better. DS is crap at art projects and won't have a clue without me trying to help him.

I am going to need to go and buy all the stuff to make the bloody model...which will take up more time.

I thought I had left all this behind at primary school!!!!

Oh - another thought...how the bloody hell is he going to get it to school on the bus?????

Why don't they do this stuff at school where they have the time, the resources, and (presumably) people who know how to do it?!!!

OP posts:
pieceofpurplesky · 29/11/2015 19:20

Get him to make one in minecraft, record it and show in class.

Original poster
eleflump · 29/11/2015 19:22

Agree SirChenjin - I used to work part-time, but since I have gone full-time, this sort of stuff is just a complete pita rather than something to be enjoyed and that any sort of benefit is derived from.

I agree in principle with posters saying leave him to it, and indeed with DS1 that would have been exactly the case...however, with DS2, he just needs a bit of help.

OP posts:
Homebird8 · 29/11/2015 19:25

I am no more Mary Berry than I am Mr Maker

Made me laugh eleflump.

Moomazoo · 29/11/2015 19:26

We had to build a temple!!! DS did it on minecraft!!! Took a long time and more skill than one made out of a cereal box

tillytown · 29/11/2015 19:28

How about making it from rice crispie cakes? With icing for doors and windows? Would only take a half hour

HypodeemicNerdle · 29/11/2015 19:28

3X home works for me today (I was at work yesterday)

DD(11) did most of hers by herself but needed an explanation on leap years, that would have been fine if she wasn't premenstrual and in a bitchy/tearful mood and didn't actually want to listen to me.

DS (9) only had a small bit and flew through it by himself, thankfully.

DD(5) had a project to do on space, she chose Neptune, when I asked her what she knew about it she told me that it's blue. To be fair I knew about the same amount so that required research. We were just finishing that up when she moved a ring bound book and I suddenly remembered she's had a doll home from rainbows this week and we needed to fill in the sodding diary for that, for tomorrow.

Anyway, it's all done, they've been dispatched off to bed and it's time for a wine!

Homebird8 · 29/11/2015 19:28

You are not alone

SirChenjin · 29/11/2015 19:30

Agree ele - with more and more parents working full time (especially as the children get older) it's a complete pita, as well as a drain on family time.

areyoubeingserviced · 29/11/2015 19:32

I feel your pain.
I am sick to death of project type homework.
They are bloody time consuming.

SirChenjin · 29/11/2015 19:35

When did this all start - and why? I don't remember doing anything like this - granted, it was the 70s and 80s, but homework then was reading, writing and maths in primary, and then subject specific stuff in High School. Making models or project homework which involved 'researching' (I use the term loosely as they are not being taught to research effectively or correctly) just didn't happen.

RaspberryOverload · 29/11/2015 19:37

DS had to do this make a castle earlier this term, so he did it on minecraft, took photos of all angles, and took prints of the photos in.

No way was he taking his tablet into school. I left him to do it all, with just a few comments of encouragement now and again.

Muskey · 29/11/2015 19:38

I recently lost the plot with dd re teacher she wanted dd to make a tallit (the shawl Jewish men wear in synagogue ) I think she wanted to see whose mummy was the best at sewing. I guess i lost

Makemineacabsauv · 29/11/2015 19:44

I'm a teacher and don't set this kind of homework because I hate it as a parent, and too many of our kids have parents who get far too carried away and competitive whe done kids who would love to do it have the type of home lives where it just won't get done. They don't do the basics so won't do this type of thing. I loathe abd detest this type of project and think it's pointless assessing the work of a 40 year old man in a garage with fancy cutting tools and a degree in engineering!!! Dd loves all this and gets on with her own (she does feel upset when she sees the perfect creations made by other peoke's parents while hers is made by her - and looks it! She enjoys it though so I leave her to it - meltdown would occur if I tried to help! DS hates it and would rather take the telling off than faff about! I'd send a note in stating that he knows all the features of the castle but as a family you do not have the finances to buy resources not the time to deal with making it with him. Or get him to do it on minecraft as pp have suggested.

Makemineacabsauv · 29/11/2015 19:45

Excuse typos, I'm on my phone and tired!

orangeyellowgreen · 29/11/2015 19:45

Give him a lump of clay or roll-out icing. Easy to shape into a castle shape then mark stonework and arrow slits. Small enough to put in a sandwich box. If icing, can be eaten.

Katarzyna79 · 29/11/2015 19:47

i was just moaning over the same issue OP my kids are only in primary ive been helping them with work since they started school. They're now in p4 and p5 I'm fed up my reception girl came out with pile of sheets too, i get the feeling the teachers are just piling it on the parents because its not covered in school. Surely it's not my job to be a TA at home. Any free time i get I'm helping them, or I'm making my late breakfast after everyones been fed, and helping them so they can chill out in the weekend, because that's what its for.oh i miss a peaceful breakfast and lazy time in weekends :(

my son whose 9 is playing up hes fed up doesn't want to do it anymore, i can understand why its very time consuming, do primary kids need homework everyone bloody weekend, and its not just 1 task its several. We told the teachers but no help, ive recently found out theres a homework club during breaks so I'm signing him up, i told him get it done in school miss one break playing with friends, then you have your entire week and wknd free. Plus theres teacher there so happy days. see if your school has a homework club at a convenient time for you, that may restore your sanity.

Jux · 29/11/2015 19:51

DD had to make a model of a cell. She 'forgot' to tell me until the night before. We didn't even have jelly in the cupboard.

SettlinginNicely · 29/11/2015 19:52

Snap! My yr7 has a partially made castle model sitting on our dining table with loads of mess all around it. DD has effectively turned a history project into a DT project. DH can hardly keep his hands off it. Won't let her do it without loads of interference. I feel sure the history teacher is more interested in her historical knowledge about castles and her ability to articulate this in a week, than he will be about the quality of the model. sigh.

TendonQueen · 29/11/2015 19:53

Definitely wasn't a thing in my day. Never had to crayon in so much as a simple picture at home. All English, maths type stuff. I suspect it's come from moves to a) make learning more creative and less 'by rote' in nature, and b) give more kids a chance to shine, if they're good with arty crafty stuff but not so much at reading, sports etc. However, the cost of it, in all sorts of ways, has been the by-product of this.

TendonQueen · 29/11/2015 19:55

And, just to add, I object to any homework that is effectively homework for the parents. I'd send a note in saying that and that your DD is happy to talk through her knowledge of the castle.

SquinkiesRule · 29/11/2015 19:57

My Ds's had a similar project for school, so many kids used sugar cubes the teachers banned them, the ant problem was overwhelming fun times living in hot countries So I say make it from sugar cubes and forget to bring it home, let the ants fall where they may.
But in reality I'd use the lid of the shoe box, lots of marker pens to draw in bricks etc and cover with the shoe box to get it too school.

Bubbletree4 · 29/11/2015 20:01

I'd be pissed off with the homework but I'd ensure it got done and I'd see if one of you could drive him to school that day to keep the model intact.

I've spent the afternoon doing school stuff with my ds that frankly really stressed me out.

I don't like getting into battles with the school over stuff that I can sort out, even if it is going to be time consuming and annoying. Save your input for a time when it's seriously needed, like if your ds got bullied etc. pick your battles and suck up this crappy castle.

Brioche201 · 29/11/2015 20:04

My Dc had to make a model of a Motte and Bailey castle in Y7 but I didn't get involved.I certainly didn't need to buy anything

Xenadog · 29/11/2015 20:05

I've set this homework for year 6 history before but it was classed as an extend homework so they had 2 weeks to do it and were expected to work in a small group. They then had to present their models to the class and explain the extra information they had learned along the way. Most kids enjoyed it and some did the work during lunch breaks at school so actually didn't do it at home which was fine.

We had Lego versions as well as all other materials. One group made their castle out of cake and that was really something to look at too.

I think giving this to individual kids for one week's worth of homework is a bit much though and would be saying to the school that you really need longer to resource materials and plan it before even considering the making.

AcrossthePond55 · 29/11/2015 20:06

I feel for you.

Where I am (California) kids in 5th grade had to do what is called the (dreaded) 'Mission Project'. A multipage report on the history of and a detailed scale model of one of the California Missions. It was a nightmare until the hobby and craft businesses in CA realized it was a moneymaker and started getting in 'Mission kits' where all you had to do was assemble and paint.