parenting

Homework… to give or not to give?

To give or not to give…that is the question! Erin went to a nursery where uniform was worn from the start and at the age of two she was offered a ‘homework book’. This gave me the decision weather I wanted Erin to have homework weekly or not- I was in a dilemma. Do I let her be a baby or do I get her prepared for the real world?  She will eventually end up having to do homework when she goes to school?

I know many people disagree with homework. Even when there little one is at school let alone when they are in nursery. At the end of the day she will be given it in reception so I took the stance that she would need to get used to it.

Looking back now I made the right decision. Erin is able to do a lot of things now that I never expected her to do without her homework. I think it was a case of I wouldn’t have sat with her on a Saturday morning every week clutching a pen and paper If I didn’t feel she had to get her homework in. We always have something better to do, don’t we?

The homework Erin was given was simple but it made her think. She was able to learn how to concentrate. It was great to have quality time with her to teach her how to learn and impart with the knowledge of the world. Her homework consisted of ‘draw a picture of what you get up to over the holidays’. Simple yet effective and in the grand scheme of things what’s a five minute drawing?

Not only has it increased her learning and knowledge and enabled me to sit with her and have quality time learning but it has given me a lovely memento of her school years and what she learnt and how she progressed all neatly within her red book. I have even included her school reports to finish the book off. I love the fact she will be able to look back and see how much she’s come on since she was the tiny age of two. You can already see the development between the ages of two and four!

The question is do you think homework should be given or not?  Let me know in the comments below.