Last Thursday evening, I found myself burning the midnight oil, mixing pasta in a rainbow of colors and gathering an assortment of bottle caps, yarn, googly eyes, and buttons just so my 5-year-old could complete his homework. This homework, intended to foster family involvement in learning, quickly turned into a late-night scramble. Over the weekend, I emptied a jar of coins and spent an exasperating hour explaining sorting techniques. Just last night, I cut out a number line and two monster figures for a math game that spiraled into a chaotic chase and hit fest instead of a productive learning experience.
While I appreciate my child’s teacher’s effort to include our family in his educational journey, I firmly believe that assigning homework to kindergartners is fundamentally misguided. First of all, my son doesn’t return home until 3:00 PM. Like any typical child, he needs time to unwind after school. He plays outside, has a snack, and releases his pent-up energy before we even start preparing dinner. After dinner comes bath time, organizing for the next day, and finally, bedtime. By the time the kids are settled in, it’s nearly 8 PM. Adding homework into this mix only creates more stress for the entire family.
Homework is more suitable for older children who have later bedtimes and a greater capacity for responsibility than a 5-year-old who still needs help in the bathroom. If schools truly want to engage families in their children’s education, I have a few recommendations:
- Stop inundating us with countless advertisements promoting unnecessary purchases.
- Instead, provide a list of simple activities at the start of the year, allowing families to choose what fits their schedules and budgets.
- Bring back nap time! Moms are generally on board with that.
- Recognize that the chances of these children attending an Ivy League school are slim, so let’s stop pretending kindergarten is an academic pressure cooker.
- Make homework optional.
- If an assignment must be given, offer it on a Monday with the entire week—plus the weekend—to complete it.
- Remember, we are talking about 5-year-olds here.
- Perhaps ask parents what they currently do to support their child’s learning.
- Send home quick worksheets that can be finished in no time.
- Or, just eliminate homework altogether.
A kindergartner’s school day is quite long enough as it is. Can we allow them to return home and simply engage in play? Save the discussions about handwriting and number recognition for parent-teacher conferences or slip a note in the backpack to inform parents. But please, let’s stop assigning homework to 5-year-olds.
I understand some kids may need additional support or specific accommodations that make after-school work necessary. I also recognize that not all children progress at the same pace and may require extra time to finish what they started in class. However, when it comes to my kindergartner, I will always prioritize free play and family activities over assignments that lead to frustration for both my child and myself.
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In summary, while the intention behind homework may be good, the reality is that it adds unnecessary stress to families with young children. It’s essential to prioritize play and family time over academic pressure at such a tender age.