Research indicates that homework does not significantly benefit young children, so why do we insist on imposing it? My elementary-age kids will not be doing homework. Why? Because they simply don’t need to. While education is mandatory, homework for young children is not. After spending six hours in school, I believe I have the authority to decide whether my 5-year-old should sit down to tackle additional work.
Parents today have legitimate concerns, and they are right to voice them. Recess is disappearing, high-stakes testing is overwhelming both teachers and students, and creative arts are being sidelined. In my local district, children receive just one 20-minute recess per day and physical education every four days. While we may not be able to physically compel school administrators to allocate more playtime for our kids, we can assert control at home by refusing to sacrifice our children’s valuable free time for so-called “responsibility” at such a tender age.
Anyone who has tried to help a young child with homework knows it often devolves into a struggle to keep them focused. Honestly, I’d rather not engage in that battle. Is my child going to fall behind because he didn’t complete a worksheet involving 14 triangles or circle a few trucks? I seriously doubt it.
Many parents have pondered the absurdity of their grade-schoolers returning home with excessive homework, yet few realize that opting out is a viable choice. We often get trapped in a “must comply” mindset when dealing with educational policies, overlooking the fact that we have options. What if we decided to heed the findings of numerous studies and stopped requiring elementary-aged kids to do homework? I suspect the world would keep spinning just fine.
In her article, Why Parents Should Not Make Kids Do Homework, educational advocate Lisa Thompson emphasizes that parents should not burden young children with homework—at least not for extensive periods. A comprehensive review by Duke University psychologist Harris Cooper shows that homework’s benefits vary by age: high school students derive benefits from up to two hours a night, middle schoolers see minimal gains, and for elementary-aged kids, it’s often better to wait.
We’ve all heard complaints regarding standardized testing, but the emphasis on these assessments leads to children being assigned homework aimed at “preparing” them. This creates frustration for both parents and kids alike. Try informally polling parents at your child’s school pickup next week about how many have completed their child’s homework for them this week. I bet a majority will raise their hands.
Valerie Strauss, an education reporter for The Washington Post, states, “No research has shown any benefits from assigning homework in elementary school. In fact, there’s no positive correlation between the amount of homework assigned and any measure of achievement.” So why are we imposing homework on our young children? The answer is simple: we do what we’re told. We receive that little homework folder and feel obliged to enforce it. But if we know our children aren’t gaining anything from it and are struggling to focus, why continue this practice?
Recently, a teacher’s no-homework policy went viral online, highlighting the collective desire among parents to relieve themselves and their children of this burden. With substantial evidence against the efficacy of homework for young kids, why not embrace this shift?
In a few weeks, I plan to inform my kindergartner’s teacher that he will not be participating in homework assignments. I can only imagine how that will be received.
For more insights on parenting and home insemination, check out this blog post. Also, if you’re looking for authoritative information on home insemination, Make A Mom provides great resources. For further details on pregnancy and related treatments, NHS is an excellent resource.
In summary, as parents, we have the power to choose whether or not to enforce homework for our young children. Research shows it offers little benefit for elementary-aged kids, and it’s time to prioritize their free time and play over unnecessary assignments.