How does homework work at your house?

[Clare]

(Disclaimer: I know we've discussed this before but my kids are older now and things are changing!)

I know most of you have finished school for now :lol: but just wondering how homework happens at your house, especially for those of you with more then one school aged kid.

Right now only Emily has official homework. She does it at the dining table and I am supposed to sit with her while she works. I do sit and listen to her read, but I tend to let her do her spelling and maths work on her own, then I check it afterwards. Harry doesn't have homework yet but he wants to do it. He wants to practice his writing, which is great, but it is just so time-consuming for me :tearhair: I haven't yet worked out how to do homework with 2 kids while I'm bathing/cooking/driving to and from dancing/etc!! I can't imagine how I am going to cope once all 3 kids have homework!

So, do your kids have a specific homework time or do you fit it in around your schedule? Do they do homework on their own in their bedroom or in a communal area with your help? Do you help them with their homework, or check and correct them once they've finished? Or do you not check their homework and let their teacher worry about errors?

[Jayne]

Tylor is now in 5th grade (well he finishes 5th grade tomorrow but I will answer for this past year) and we let him do his homework at his desk in his room. If he has a question or concern he can come to one of us for help but this year we decided he was responsible for his work. Because he brought home A's and B's we left him to do it this way this year. Had he struggled or needed more help he would have done it at the dinning room Table. We let him have 30 minutes when he comes home from school to just relax and then the homework must start. On days that we have extra activities we evaluate his homework and the time he needs and work it in.

Next year I will add Alyssa to the mix of that (not much with it being Kindergarten) and she will do her homework at the Dinning room table with me. I feel it is my responsibility to know what the kids are doing in their class work so I stay on top of it with them in the early years. Once they get older I give them more and more responsibility.

We have also been known to miss activities if there is just to much homework.

[Alyssa]

Clare, when you say you're supposed to sit with her, who is dictating that? School, Emily, you/Alex?

Right now, Aidan has homework just one day a week, and it's just one worksheet that is either letters or math. Actually, a second day he brings home his book of the week and has to read that to me, but that we just do as we're reading in bed that night. He just does it at the little table we have for the boys in our kitchen. I have no plans to buy him a desk for his room, and I guess we'll have to see how that goes as he gets older and his work style emerges and also as the family dynamics change and the other kids have school work too. I generally just let him sit there and work and then I come check on him if he asks/looks like he needs help and regardless I check his work when he's done and make sure he did everything right.

[Clare]

Jayne - I agree that by 5th grade the kids will be doing homework on their own in their bedroom :nod:

Alyssa - it's not a rule as such that one of us sits with Emily while she does her homework, it's a "suggestion" by the school and the education department. Something about homework being bonding time. As I said, I do sit and listen to her read because if I don't I won't know if she's making mistakes, but I'm normally busy getting dinner started or folding laundry or such while she's doing her spelling and maths. Just wondering how that works for others.