Does your child get too much homework?
One of our mums feels overwhelmed by how much her 5-year-old gets - do you feel the same or has your little one's school got it right?
Once your child starts school, you might find it's not long before they're getting homework.
From asking our mums, it seems the amount they get can vary, and while some of you think it's great and find it no trouble at all, others aren't so sure - and wonder if your children are being put under pressure to work at home too young.
"My daughter is in Reception and it's ridiculous how much they get," Mel C told us.
"Reading book every night, phonics work, maths work and some activity around what they've been doing that week all given on a Friday to be handed in on a Wednesday.
"Apparently you are now no longer allowed a life. Weekends is the only time we have for homework."
Another of our mums agrees: "My daughter's in morning club and after school club, so is in school every day from 8am to 6pm - meaning she's in there longer than most people are at work," says Tara F.
"Once we've got home, had dinner and a bath it's bedtime - she's too tired to concentrate on homework, but she panics so much about not getting it in.
"I hate seeing her worrying about that sort of thing so young. She's only 5 and already I feel her work/life balance isn't how it should be." ?
And Claire G has this to say: "I think they get too much. My daughters are in year 2 and Reception.
"Year 2 gets a minimum of 2 books a week, spellings to learn and formal homework - usually maths or literacy.
"Reception get 3 books a week, phonics to learn and a piece of homework to complete. Both me and my husband work, Sundays are the only day we get to be together as a family so I resent having to coerce our kids into doing school work in family time but with other activities, time is in short supply through the week...
"I understand that they have to set homework to meet the curriculum but I wish they would let kids be kids and stop trying to stuff them all into the same little boxes..."
Though not all of you have found the experience so negative.
"My daughter is Yr 2 (6 yrs old) and has 8 weeks to do 3 pieces of work, it's awesome. No stress of weekly work and finding time to do it in.
"Just relaxed research and then writing it out together
:)" says Amy L.
And Vicky T thinks it's vital for kids to get some work to do at home, and even gives her little one extra to do: "My son's in Year 1 & has 2 pieces a week which I think is enough - he also does work books at home and reading every night! I think it's important for them to grasp things at a young age!"
And Rosie P's strict about doing homework before being allowed to play: "My son is in Year 2, he gets one set of English, one set of maths and around 7 words to learn for spellings per week, I think it's the right amount.
"We read every day and he does little writing or drawing tasks I set him after school 3 days per week before he's allowed on the PlayStation etc x."
Sophie T reckon's her school's got it just right with their homework policy: "My son is in Year 1 and the school operates an optional homework system plus reading books.
"This works well as there is no pressure and I've found that he asks to do some homework but if he doesn't then that's also fine.
"The days are long enough as it is without additional pressure being put on them when they're so little, if they're happy they will learn - no amount of forced homework will turn them into Einsteins!!"
Hmmm. There are certainly lots of opinions here.
We guess in part how happy or not happy you are about it depends on how much homework there is and whether your child is happy to do it, as well as how flexible the school is with it and how much time you have in the evenings/weekends to get on with it.
What do you think?
Has your little one's school got it right when it comes to how much homework they hand out? Tell us in the comments below or over on Facebook
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Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
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