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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that ds's school shouldn't give projects over school holidays

180 replies

Glassofwineneeded · 21/12/2015 16:18

My ds 9 has a project to do over the Christmas holidays. 10 + pages are expected.
My thoughts are that school holidays should be for relaxing and not for doing massive projects in year 4!
As this is the Christmas holidays we have lots planned including 3 days spent with family and then my ds is going to his dad's. As well as other days out etc it makes it hard to find time to fit project work in and make a decent job of it.
He is currently working on it now when what I want to do is curl up on the sofa with him and watch a festive film!
So AIBU ?

OP posts:
ValancyJane · 21/12/2015 17:19

YANBU, and I'm a teacher. But then, I don't really like setting it generally except for exam classes... Unfortunately you will always get one parent complaining if you don't set any!!

MissingPanda · 21/12/2015 17:20

YANBU Personally I don't think primary school children should have holiday homework, except maybe a bit of reading. Plenty of time at secondary for them to get used to doing homework over the holidays for when they reach their GCSE years.

EweAreHere · 21/12/2015 17:21

YANBU at all. Adults get holiday down time. Why on earth do people think children aren't entitled to the same? They are in need of it even more than adults, frankly, especially after the long Autumn Term.

shebird · 21/12/2015 17:21

I am not opposed to a small bit of straightforward homework that can be done quickly like maths worksheets, reading, spellings etc - but a 10 page project is excessive especially if it involves a lot of parents input. Is there a way that you can complete to project but perhaps on a smaller scale just so your DS has ticked the box to say he's done it.

howabout · 21/12/2015 17:23

YANBU.

My aged 4 DD has "what did you do over the holidays" homework. I will not be doing it unless her big sisters are annoying me so much I make them do it. They are 13 and 14 and have no homework, which is just as well as the school have been in wind down mode for the last week and I don't see why the kids should work over the holidays to make up for this.

I take it yours have been so busy with the Christmas concert the teacher now needs some work for the folder Xmas Hmm

SausageSmuggler · 21/12/2015 17:28

YANBU. 10 pages is just ludicrous. I never understand why schools set homework over Christmas, it's such a busy time for everyone!

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 21/12/2015 17:38

My son's school have a 'project' to do for the three main holidays. Christmas this year is to research your favourite inventor and write a little about them and make a model of their invention if you want to. He's very excited about it and is dithering between television and nintendo. It's not compulsory, but is a fabulous fallback for when you want to absolutely throttle them because they're claiming boredom.

Hissy · 21/12/2015 17:43

Giving a primary school child homework is giving his/her PARENT homework, in so far as it needs to be made time for, as if we haven't got enough to do.

Ds was given homework in year last Christmas, they wanted 4 pages or so, a lot for a year 4. He did a paragraph and no more. I wrote a note in his book to state that homework at Christmas was unacceptable especially since they had been let off homework the week before, and that in future he's not be doing it at my insistence.

No homework given out this year... Xmas Wink

Rocksie · 21/12/2015 17:46

YANBU. I agree with the other posters, as we are not to take holidays in term time (I agree with this) the holidays should be just as they say they are. HOLIDAYS!

I would, email/write to say it hasn't been done but your child has got more value from socialising, relaxing and being with the family.

In any case what's the worst that can happen if it's not done!

AuntieStella · 21/12/2015 17:48

It depends what the project is.

If there are lots of pictures etc, then it could be far less than some people are assuming.

balletgirlmum · 21/12/2015 17:51

YANBU

My year 7 (academically selective school) & year 9 dc don't have any homework.

Original poster
Glassofwineneeded · 21/12/2015 17:57

Thanks for your support! I think lots of big pictures will be featuring and we probably won't do 10 pages!

I will help as much as I can without doing it for him and I'm sure it will get done.
I think will do as a lot of you suggested and send in a letter tho. It can't hurt!

OP posts:
winterswan · 21/12/2015 17:58

I don't think you're being unreasonable; I hate homework and I don't set it for my students.

dannydyerismydad · 21/12/2015 18:00

YANBU. My 4 year old reception DS has to make a family tree.

Paint/collage a picture of a tree, stick photos of family members on it and label them.

That's about a days work for me getting the materials, digging out photos, printing. And the printer is fooked, so no doubt a day will
be wasted in sodding Staples too.

winterswan · 21/12/2015 18:02

I also imagine for some children that could be quite a painful exercise danny Sad

dannydyerismydad · 21/12/2015 18:06

I agree Winterswan.

These projects fill me with dread. My 'D'F remarried some years ago and decided that I was no longer part of his life. MIL has also remarried and doesn't see us. FIL died before DS was born. DS's tree will be very sparse indeed and he's going to ask why other people have more grandparents than him.

munchkinmaster · 21/12/2015 18:07

Some posters above saying adults don't get 2 weeks straight. Yes, as they are you know, adults. Kids need to rest, recuperate, space to play and experiment.

European convention of the rights of the child states that the child is free to rest at leisure.

whois · 21/12/2015 18:10

how many parents get two weeks off to just 'rest and relax'

Plenty of adults get two weeks off to relax if they book 2 weeks of annual leave to have a holiday.

HesterShaw · 21/12/2015 18:16

I don't like holiday homework either, I think if I am not allowed to take the children on holiday in term time, they cannot expect school stuff done in holiday time!

Haven't thought of it like this before, but this!

I think I would write a polite note, pointing this out. The Christmas holiday project should be relaxing and spending quality time with family members. They have their whole lives for work. This is not South Korea.

Sparklingbrook · 21/12/2015 18:19

Ugh YANBU.

DS1 had a complicated art project in Year 8 to be given in the day back after Christmas. It was awful. He had no interest in doing it then when he started it it took ages.

usernamesandgingerbreads · 21/12/2015 18:21

Completely agree. Ten pages in crazy. My secondary age children have less than that.

I agree the family tree homework particularly at Christmas could be difficult for some children.

winterswan · 21/12/2015 18:21

For a minute I read that as your DS's art was awful Sparkling; I thought 'aw, poor lad!' Grin

Moomazoo · 21/12/2015 18:22

YANBU!!! At all!

I cannot take my DC out of school for holidays. When they are on holiday its holiday time!!!
I bet his teacher doesn't sit in the beach in Spain doing her marking!!!!

HOLIDAY or let us take them on holiday in term time!!

Sparklingbrook · 21/12/2015 18:23

You aren't far off the mark actually winterswan that was part of the problem. Grin He dropped Art as soon as he could and i am sure that project was to blame.

winterswan · 21/12/2015 18:23

Well, to be fair, a lot of teachers hate homework too (I do!) but we have to set it, and I don't care if children do it or not and I certainly won't punish for not completing it. However, I have to set it as per school policy.