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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Helping your reception child complete written homework without the meltowns

30 replies

smc85 · 03/10/2017 10:27

My son started reception this September and every time it comes to the once a week written homework he has a melt down and says his writing his 'rubbish'. He's very active and loves being outside, riding his bike. But has never really liked drawing or writing. Please help because I really want to help him and any advice would be brilliant. Thank you

OP posts:

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Tomorrowillbeachicken · 03/10/2017 10:33

In reception I often decided to pick my fights. I read with him most nights but there were some homeworks we didn't do.

elQuintoConyo · 03/10/2017 10:37

Crikey - i just wouldn't do it. Or even if you get through two or three words before the meltdown, leave it at that and tell the teacher why.

How are his fine motor skills? Things like plasticine and hamma beads really help with motor skills, which will in turn gelp with pencil holding and forming letter.

Children succeed in things at different rates - he'll get there

drspouse · 03/10/2017 10:38

At this stage in Reception do they even know how to write all the letters?

Oliversmumsarmy · 03/10/2017 10:41

Neither dd or ds could read or write in reception. Why are they expecting children to do written homework of any kind at just 4 years old

RaspberryBeret34 · 03/10/2017 10:47

DS never had any written homework (or homework at all except encouragement to read) in reception.

I'd just give him loads of encouragement even if he just does 2 mins worth or 1 word, I think their concentration span can be so short at that age. What works with DS (year 1) is to say it's bedtime then say "oh, but you could stay up for 10 mins and start your homework..." and act like I'm really torn about it and then he's all enthusiastic as he knows the alternative is straight to bed! It's probably not quite what I should do but nevermind . Or say he can do it while eating which he knows is a treat as normally we try not to have distractions.

TinselAngel · 03/10/2017 10:48

After several spoiled weekends, we just didn’t do homework until KS2. I’m not a teacher, I just didn’t have the skills to make my daughter do it and the teachers said they only set it because they have to.

CruCru · 03/10/2017 10:52

Do the school say how long the homework is meant to take? I would be tempted to set a timer (for 5 minutes, say) and hand in what he manages to produce in those 5 minutes. Otherwise, you risk him getting down about it.

It does sound really early for homework - he’ll only have been in school for a month.

ticklady · 03/10/2017 10:56

Forget it!!
My dc have barely done any homework. They are coming fine.
But I'm be who believes play, emotional stability i.e.being happy in school and socializing is way more important than completing pointless pieces of written work and being put off school for feeling like a failure.
One if my dc didn't start to read / write til they were 6-7. Like many Europeans.
Happy as larry.
Don't stress over it. Let them be happy and enjoy school for,all the other benefits.... Friends, play, discovering new things, ideas, people school dinners!!! Etc.

ticklady · 03/10/2017 10:58

Looks like I can't read or write myself with all my typos.
I hope you get the drift if what i was trying to say

Frazzled2207 · 03/10/2017 11:00

Similar story here. My son only turned 4 in August. He doesn’t really write independently at all but will trace over stuff that I’ve written so I just do that until he’s had enough.
He’s 4 years and months old and I refuse to put him under pressure yet.

I’ve heard from teacher friends that there’s evidence that homework before the age of 8 doesn’t improve outcomes at all. That made me feel a bit more relaxed about it!

Frazzled2207 · 03/10/2017 11:01

4 years and 2 months I meant

c00k1e · 03/10/2017 11:03

My daughter hardly ever did the reception homework. I didn’t think it was right to push her as she’s one of the youngest in her year. Come year 1 she is fine and No issues with getting homework done.

SleepFreeZone · 03/10/2017 11:06

My son has just started reception and his housework consists of reading a very short book and overlining some letters 10 times. Thankfully he enjoys it but his little friend doesn't and his parents don't force him to do it. The school don't seem to mind either way.

SleightOfMind · 03/10/2017 11:06

My twins are in reception and I'm doing the same as I did with my older two: be enthusiastic and positive and take it at their pace.
The worst thing you can do is make it a horrible chore. The moment you see them flagging, stop and praise, praise, praise.
My eldest is an A* student planning to go to med school and the middle one is top of her class.
I have never pushed them and never forced them to complete homework. I'm around to help but I don't chase, remind or cajole them into it.

With the little ones, it helps to make it a special time with me. Love the pp's idea of staying up to do it. I'm so stealing that!

SleepFreeZone · 03/10/2017 11:06

*homework (you can tell what I'm doing right now 🙄)

Wanderwall · 03/10/2017 11:14

I can't believe they are expecting 4 year olds to do written homework. I would complain to the school to be honest.

user789653241 · 03/10/2017 11:39

All the home works at my ds's school in reception and ks1 are not compulsory. Teacher insisted don't force it and if the child get distressed stop it and don't do it longer than 20 minutes at most.

Charmatt · 03/10/2017 11:58

Sit with him until he becomes disengaged and write a note on the sheet explaining that he had done as much as he was capable of.

MiaowTheCat · 03/10/2017 12:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Maya12 · 04/10/2017 01:49

I wait till it grabs ds and then make the most of it. He hates drawing and painting usually so that'd always be a battle, but then occasionally ds surprises me when I ask if he wants us to do some painting for school, and he'll say yes and then spend ages doing one 'masterwork' after the other. Teacher is completely fine with things not necessarily happening in the right week.

With writing, making it a game helps - little messages hidden around the place and if he finds and reads them all a little treat. It's not actually an extra treat just one he'd have anyway, but he enjoys the challenge.

I'm working so can't do it very often, but I think it's more important that they see it as something enjoyable,

Reading only works in the mornings, he's too tired at night.

Kokeshi123 · 04/10/2017 03:12

How can they write four weeks into Reception?

They shouldn't be doing any written homework other than a little bit of letter formation, copying CVC words etc. IMO.

Atenco · 04/10/2017 04:47

How can they write four weeks into Reception?

My dgd is four-years-old but I live in abroad, I am astonished at the idea of her getting written homework. Her school is still mostly play and she loves it.

MidniteScribbler · 04/10/2017 06:17

My son is in his first year of school (Prep here in Australia) and I'm also a teacher at his school. Other than reading, I rarely do work sent home, and certainly don't intend to have an argument with DS about it. I teach an older grade, and still just want them to read rather than have set homework.

user789653241 · 04/10/2017 06:18

4 year olds in my country would be learning to write, though not in school, but in kindergarten. Similar to reception here.
Some can write perfectly fine in reception. Some need a bit longer.
But that doesn't mean they are behind, they are just not ready. September born is a year older than August born(obviously!), and difference is massive at this age. But by ks2, they are mostly at the similar level.
So the point is, don't get stressed over homework in early years. It's counter productive to make them work when they are not ready, and worst case scenario, they would end up hating learning.

famousfour · 04/10/2017 06:35

Homework was optional in reception for DS.

Personally I wouldn't force it or would keep it very limited such 5 mins and then at times he is most receptive like the morning.

I would focus on games and activitIes to improve his fine motor skills which are more fun.

But I would discuss it with his teacher.

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