My Pet Peeve...

This week's Brit Mums Blogging Prompt got me thinking - for all of 5 seconds!  Because my pet peeve is such an obvious one...

Homework!

Not so much for Toots - she's just started P1 so it's all reading books (Biff and Chip anyone?) and key words and lovely learning to read stuff.  No, it's Cheeky Boy's homework that really gets me- and he's only in P4 (all of 8 years old!).

Ever since P2, we've been bombarded with homework.  And this year is the worst yet!  Spelling or writing on a Monday (he'd rather stick pins in himself than write a story - especially after a day at school) .  Reading on a Wednesday and Friday.  Maths on a Thursday.  And the occasional piece of project work thrown in for good measure too.  Correct me if I'm wrong but if they need to do this amount of work at home, what on earth are they doing at school?!

Now that they're in P4, they're also expected to write tdown what their homework tasks are and when it's due in their school diaries (CB's makes it home about twice a week if I'm lucky even though it should come home daily!) and the teacher doesn't check that they've done it.  Because they're supposed to be responsible enough to do it themselves.  Right.  Last week, I made the mistake of asking the teacher why they hadn't had homework (as it was so unusual I was starting to suspect something was up).  And I was right.  He'd missed not 1 but 4 pieces of homework - all due the following day!!!

And, perhaps it's just my son (but I don't think so) but he's neither mature enough or focused enough to take himself merrily off to do his homework as soon as he gets in from school - unless it's maths (but sadly, it very rarely is).  More often than not it's spelling - which requires input from me; project work - which requires digging around the recycling for craft materials, researching the internet or generally helping to hunt down either raw materials or information.  And frequently, we fall out over it.  I haven't seen him all day - it would be nice to spend some fun time with him.

There seems to be no recognition that a) they should be doing the work in school b) most parents work so don't have the luxury of long afternoons to get homework done and c) kids have other things going on besides school - like playing, going to the park, going for walks, sports, visiting their relatives - that kind of thing.  All part of life's rich experience and all that - or is that just me?!

I'm 40. I've got O'Grades, Highers, a Degree and a Postgrad (this isn't me boasting just illustrating a point). Point being?

I'VE DONE MY FLIPPIN' HOMEWORK!!!!

Thrifty Ways to Get My Groove Back