Everyday when Thade comes home from school, I check his backpack for notes from the teacher, and look through his papers to see how his handwriting is improving. Yesterday tucked inside the daily paperwork was homework… Happily stamped, fill out and return to teacher. Last week they started a poem to work on nightly, and memorize by the end of the week, and this week it is worksheets to fill out, and another poem to memorize. Homework, really?!? in Kindergarten!
My hubby and I got to talking about homework, and we both remember homework in 3rd and 4th grade, but never in Kindergarten. The pressure of all day school is also taking its toll. Thade really truly enjoys school, but by 4:00 p.m. he is completely exhausted, and melting down waiting for dinner time. Drop off is also stressful, Thade often panics that he is going to be late, and receive a tardy slip. And the pressure of school has only just begun, it is only week #3, and the first year for all of us.
I find this a little troubling, to see homework in kindergarten. They are there for eight hours and then sent home with more tasks to accomplish… I’ve asked other parents too, and they are seeing their 4th graders sent home with an hour (sometimes two) of homework nightly, and that is just insane to me. I think that there is way too much pressure being put on our children, and my goodness they are going to be burnt out before middle school.
So what are you seeing in your school system… Too much homework, too little, stressed out kiddos? Feel free to vent any frustrations…
