When to do homework - reception

[DesertRose124]

Hi all, (first time poster here!)

My daughter has just started reception and in the past week has started bringing home homework (words to learn and a 'reading' book to discuss). I'm finding it hard to get a good time to do this homework with her. She only does half days at the moment (until 1pm), but is totally shattered. When she comes in I let her sit and watch TV for about 1/2 hour whilst I settle our other daughter off for her afternoon nap. Then she has a drink & snack as she's always hungry and thirsty (despite having just had lunch). Then I've tried to go through the book with her but she's just too grumpy and tired. I try to encourage her to go and play outside therefore to get some fresh air. Then my 1 year old wakes from her nap and I've got no 'quiet time' left to spend with my older daughter to do her reading and we get towards tea time, bath time etc etc.

Any suggestions? When do others do reading? And how do you juggle it with a younger child demanding attention?
Please help!

DesertRose

We read for 10 minutes in the morning - after breakfast (or during if its one of those mornings). Ds1 is Y1 now but still too tired for after school reading.

another one in morning -straight after breakfast - we are up by 7 and usaully have had breakfast by 7.30ish
my 1 yo also "helps" but its is not so disruptive in the mornings -

I wouldn't do it! But then I am a rebel . I think it's ridiculous that they give them "homework" in reception! (we don't get any)

Tigger - I think reading practice is reasonable
other homework I am inclinded to agree

I used to do the book after tea whilst bath running, the words I played a quick game with them strait after dinner before leaving the table or in bed at story time or didnt bother if dd tired.

now dd yr 1 is indipendadnt with her spellings and reading indipendantly she sits at table whilst I cook dinner or in envening before bath.

As I work the boys are all in after school club til 5, so they get their 'down time' then. So after picking them up I tend to cook a meal so they have a bit of a pick me up after a long day. DS3 (3) is put to bed, then DS2 (4) gets to do his homework. So probably between about 6:30 and 7. He has to write a letter each day - draw pictures of things starting with that letter, and then has a reading book too. Sometimes he is a bit tired so we do less writing, but he is very keen and gets very upset if I say he can't do his writing or reading.

Whilst I have always read to and looked at books many times every day with both my children, I did tell the school that while they were welcome to send 'homework' home in the reception years, I wouldn't be doing it.

They don't even need to be at school at that age, 'homework' is just ridiculous.

little and often. we tried before school. ok for words, but not condusive to discussing a book,, too much clock watching.

dd was fed a banana as soon as we got to the car. drive home, read book before getting out of the car and whilst small brother is fiirmly strapped in the car seat. rewarded with a biscuit (not ideal) or a play outside before going in.

LittleMissGreen and DesertRose,

I am pretty surprised to hear your reception DC have so much homework. My DS has just started reception too, and there has been no homework yet and not much in the way of formal letter learning as far as I can tell (although DS doesn't volunteer much information).

Mainly I agree with WildThings that four years old is far too young for homework (I never had any until I was 8 or 9) - but if everyone else's kids are doing it then I'm now worried my DS has somehow ended up in the only school in Britain that isn't actually going to teach him anything. (That said he seems to love school and we've not had any tears or reluctance to go...)

Last year in reception we had
story books on Mondays we would snuggle up on the sofa then read talk about it.
Tuesday reading books plus flash cards we did those as soon as we got in plus flash cards after supper and the next morning.
Wednesday another story book did the same as Monday plus flash cards after the next morning .
Thursday would get a work sheet so would come home get changed for ballet do the sheet mine only get fruit of veg after school so had a oat bar or biscuit on the table which they had as soon as hw was done
Friday was another reading book.

Now in year 1 actually get less as they do not have story books and yet to have the flash cards however we do get two work sheets on a Thursday never have to ask them to do their hw they do get till Tuesday to do it but it goes straght back in on Friday. We do get reading books twice a week and get four spellings lucky in that they pick them up rather quickly .