Homework for little ones: too much (for busy parents too)?

[LittleLionMansMummy]

I've had a few conversations with other parents about this recently and wondered what others thought.

Dsis adopted 2 boys earlier this year, a 5 and 7yo. She's back at work now ft and is really struggling with their homework because they're so shattered when they get home from school and are usually in bed by 7ish. So basically dsis gets home, sorts their dinner then it's whatever homework they can fit in before they get too tired and go to bed. But she says they get a lot of homework and I've been quite surprised that others share this pressure. My ds isn't yet 4 so will go to school next year, but i always saw homework as more 'senior school'. What do others think? Is there too much homework for young children these days, especially when you bear in mind that many have both parents working ft? Is there too much pressure on children and parents? How do you all cope with it?

Oh! It's so refreshing to hear of others that share my opinion on homework. This weeks homework took ds3 (8) over 4 hours. He also plays piano (so nightly practice and a weekly lesson) and sings in a choir. He used to go to Beavers and a sports club but we gave them up as there just wasn't time. This weeks homework was completed, amid floods of tears, on Friday morning. I wanted to write a note stating how long had been spent on it and leave the rest but he would have had to miss golden time to complete it and he insisted on finishing it. We were literally running out the door at 08:45.

Last year I asked if we could have it over the weekend as it would give us time to do it but was told the schools policy is to hand it out on a Monday and collect it in on a Friday. I am going to speak to the teacher after the holidays.

" wanted to write a note stating how long had been spent on it and leave the rest but he would have had to miss golden time to complete it and he insisted on finishing it. We were literally running out the door at 08:45."

This is not on at all. We are able to stop after the designated time, just in most cases that would mean nothing had got onto the paper by then as only the background info would have been read.