Homework Hell

Hours of school work must done at home” seems to be a new and noxious battle cry for our sometimes-faltering educational system.

Let’s not debate our worldwide standing in math and science. Let’s talk about our kids.

Your child and my child.

These children are so spent by the end of the school day that homework is not only a futile hope; it is a source of family conflict and despair. There is no dinner table time, no family time, and no sanity. Yet, the school insists on the madness of homework for a child who can’t sit still through half of a school day.

Here’s what I did:  I learned to say no. No, he can’t do this after a full day of school. No, I won’t sacrifice the opportunity to be family for flashcards and math problems.

• I asked for weekly assignments that could involve home activities like cooking (math,) science, (ruined cooking) and art (vegetable dyes from the garden on my best pair of white pants.)

• We took pictures on natures walks that he thought were adventures through the Amazon. As he aged, I had to come clean on the location of the park, but we still were outside.

• We hit museums, concerts, and TV programs that were specific to class assignments. He never forgot those opportunities, but remembered little about any homework assignment.

• Until he graduated from high school, we still read together almost every night. Not a textbook, but we did get through a chopped up copy of War and Peace. I cut it into 36 pieces so he didn’t know it was one book. “Cool story, mom.” That was his verdict.

There are a lot of things we need to worry about when our kids don’t fit the mold of the pliable child, willing to be educated. Homework isn’t one of them. Relax. Find the old book and cut it up. Dostoyevsky has forgiven me. So will Mark Twain and JK Rowling. I promise you.