Homework Is No Fun For Parents Too

With school comes homework and almost every kid out there is probably groaning in agony over that fact. Homework may be a necessity for students, but it isn't just the students that feel the burden of the daily assignments. Parents, too, dislike homework; maybe just as much as the students themselves.

TV 3's Tracy Wirtz describes why she as a parent is looking forward to the school year but NOT to the homework.

Sing it with me! "School Days..." Okay, that's all I know. However, I DO know I, for one, am so excited for school to start. I am a creature of habit, routine. I love the routine that school provides. My son, who is 12, came into the kitchen when I was leaving for work one morning a few weeks ago. (Keep in mind that I leave between 1:30 and 2am.) I said, "Sweetie, you need to go to bed." He said, "I'm just watching TV. Why do I need to go to bed?" Give me the bad parent award but I have to admit, I had no really good answer for that. He didn't have school or anything to do the next day but sleep and play. So I just shrugged, kissed him and left for work. I like the school routine. A set dinner time, bedtime, wake-up time. The only thing I DON'T like is (I bet you can guess this one from the title, right?) HOMEWORK! (Collective groan!) I have to admit that the homework situation was better for us in 6th grade because I managed to set up some ground rules I actually STUCK to. Go in the house, get a snack, no TV or computer until homework is done. It didn't hurt that the teacher didn't pile it on. (By the way, teachers, be kind! Please? I understand practice but when adults get home from work, they don't wanna work some more... just sayin'. But I digress.)

Here's some easy-to-read tips I found, too, that may make your life easier. One of the things that I want to implement this year is an EASIER way for me to track what is actually due. My son wants to get it done and get it done quick. I can understand that mentality. However, there were things that fell between the cracks and he ultimately got in trouble because assignments got missed. So if you had the same problems, here's something I found that may help all of us:

They are easy homework checklists. If you have a child in kindergarten through 5th grade, use this one. If your child is in the 6th grade on up, this one is for you.

I know some schools, like my sons, make them use these homework planner things that take a master's degree to figure out. Or maybe I'm just not as smart as I think I am. But I found that these one-sheets are real simple to understand. And I'd bet dollars to donuts that if you talked to your child's teacher, he or she would be willing to help you use them. Heck, they may start using them themselves! And the world would be a homework-happier place. Unless it was homework-free. In which case, I may just be the happiest parent on the planet!