DS1 is quite bright and is being set individual homework once a week - usually, he discusses a subject with the teacher or TA that he'd like to draw a picture about and then write about it too (last week it was robots making cars!). He also brings home a reading book which he reads before bed (best time for us) and if he's bored with that then we'll find something else to read.
However, the class is also set a homework weekly and while I don't want him to miss out on the work his friends are doing, I think that the amount he's doing is getting to be too much. He only has an hour to play before supper (we have to eat at 4.30 as they take sooo long to eat!) and I think that actually, play is as important as work. He hasn't done any of these so far, but this week's one is more about counting / numbers and I'm in a dilemma about whether to get him to do it.
I really want to support DS1's teacher as she wants to keep DS1 engaged and enthused about school, but I'm not sure that homework is the way to go.
I don't want to appear a refusnic, and I want him to keep exploring and enjoying his work, but not at the expense of play when he's only five.
Ideas and experiences of how to tackle this would be helpful.
Thank you.