If the seven hours of school weren’t enough, how are the “15 minutes” at night going to help?

Your son comes home after a long day at school and heads straight for the basement, where you know he’ll be unwinding and letting off some steam after a long day of being cooped up at his desk. But you also know that he has a pile of homework waiting for him — and his teacher has told you, more than once, that you’re expected to make sure he gets it done. Do you:

23%

Deal. Encourage, bribe, threaten. Like it or not, the school expects him to do homework, and your job is to make sure he gets it done.

77%

No deal. School is long and hard enough already. My job is to look out for my son’s overall well-being, and I will not force him to spend his few hours at home being pressured.

-To those who go on about how crucial homework is: If the seven hours of school weren’t enough, how are the “15 minutes” at night going to help?

-Modern research indicates that homework has almost no educational benefit, with a few exceptions. Even then, the amount assigned is far more than necessary.

-Call me old school, but meeting expectations and doing tasks even when you don’t want to do them is one of the most valuable life lessons we learn.

-As a teacher, I’m personally opposed to homework. But when I don’t give it, the parents get upset — they want to see what their child has learned. So I give out a fun booklet at the beginning of the week with review material. Parents and kids love it!

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 876)