My children’s homework is the bane of my existence. And let me be real honest here, it’s because I’m a slacker. No, really, I am. Sure, I do a lot everyday to keep this house running smoothly and not be featured on an episode of Hoarders. I’m a freelance writer and a social media maven. I can handle that stuff, no problem.
But when it comes to homework, forget it. I was the kid who was up all night writing her term paper hours before it was due. Why would I be excited to do my kids’ homework?
And seriously, why is there so much that I have to do? I can remember my mom complaining about this too so I’m not going to say it wasn’t this way back in the olden days when I was in grade school.
So first we have the little problem of me not wanting to go through the folders, dig out the homework, read it over, and see what’s what. Add to that the oldest will SCREAM at me when I ask her about her homework assignments. Then will insist she did them on the bus. And me? Well, I will forget to check her homework because I am busy helping the middle girl with her math and spelling homework and trying to keep the youngest from eating an entire bag of cookies.
So you know, there’s screaming involved. And not just me. The girls are fighting with each other, they’re all yelling at me because they need my attention RIGHT NOW! So I start in on dinner and pour a glass of wine and before I know it, I’ve forgotten about the big girl’s homework.
But when I ask the next morning she assures me once again it’s complete. She finished it on the bus yesterday. I don’t have to time to check because I’m trying to talk her middle sister into eating raisin bran for breakfast, the youngest not to eat cookies and trying to pack their lunches (very hard when one is yelling “No grapes! I hate grapes!” and the other one is making sure I understand she won’t eat carrots).
So I take her word for it that her homework is in her folder and send them on their way. An hour later I get a phone call from the girl asking me if I know where her homework is.
It’s not even October. Just shoot me.
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8 Responses to Homework Blows
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Oh, Trish… it’s things like this that make me SO grateful I home school… no “homework” to deal with because it’s ALL done at home! I feel ya, Sister!
I have threes sons and one day I decided that I was not in charge of either the grades they earn or in charge of hovering over them and getting them to complete their homework by doing it with them. Homework help does not mean that I am responsible for them doing their homework and turning it in. If they are struggling and need help organizing yes. If they don’t follow through by using good habits when we teach them the habits, then no. I think because the concept of homework has been a regular item since before second grade and that there are tools provided for their success that exempts me from being the memory bank and reminder for them to get it done. That doesn’t mean I approve of them doing other activities INSTEAD of homework. It means that I would assist with trouble spots if they got stuck on a concept and then if they refused to do it hold them accountable for their own lack of follow through. Rather speaking in the past tense~my kids are much older now but I *refuse* to get involved with the homework game or teachers holding me accountable for the kids performance if the kid just flat refused to cooperate in their own success in regard to getting the work done and/or turned in. Way too much work on my part, and I already went through school once….no need to repeat all the grades again thank you! Parental support and involvement is one thing. I am not very good at being a helicopter parent.
I could NEVER home school these monsters. I think I’m going to get Big Daddy to help me stay on top of the homework. I need help!
Lena, that’s it. I’m not a helicopter parent. I am what I like to call a hands-off parent. Ha! I don’t know how I’m going to get three children through high school.
Homework is one of the many things I failed to fully think through before deciding to have kids. Hated it before. Hate it more now. I just shared a new sitter with some friends and one hired her to come over pretty much everyday and do homework with her daughters. Any highschoolers on your block that could do half and hour with one then the other while you and J cook (and drink grape derived beverages)?
Jenny! That’s completely genius! I’m going to look into that immediately.
Hilarious post. The conversation about lunch is VERBATIM what happens in my house. So weird. They also check their lunchboxes right before walking out the door and throw a fit if there is something in there they don’t like. The thing is the “something they don’t like” CHANGES every day and sometimes from what they said that very morning. They are crazy.
Homework is okay this year because Jack likes doing it! And I think that is because his teacher is doing a good job of keeping it to a minimum and he can get alot of it done on the field waiting for pickup after school. But this is a school that says they are NO HOMEWORK yet we have some.
Lots of homework – especially if it is just repetitive- is a real problem for me. Kids should be having family time and other interests after school. I think it puts the parents and kids on bad footing to have to be a teacher at home. That is not my skill set.
Also I am not buying this “they need to learn to do homework so that they are prepared for independant study in college” I didn’t go to college but Steve informs me that you don’t go to class everyday like in High School so you have whole chuncks of days that you can study!!
SO TEACH INDEPENDANT study in the classroom time. ERRR…..
Did I just spell independant wrong while saying i didn’t go to college???
OMG, Lisa! I flipping hate it when they start digging through the lunch box as I am trying to usher them out the door! I’ll tell you what’s in their you little shit: FOOD! And you will eat it! Or starve!