Bunmi Laditan, mother and author of the book 'The Honest Toddler' has thrown a bomb on Facebook on an issue that worries a lot of parents lately: abusive duties.
The mother has shared the letter he has sent to his daughter's teachers telling them that he will not do more homework at home. Undoubtedly, something that many parents would like to do, or they think about it but they have not just taken the step. Would you do something like that?
The letter says:
"Maya will drastically reduce the amount of homework she does this year. She has been very stressed and is starting to have physical symptoms such as chest pain and getting up at 4AM worried about the school workload.
She is not behind academically and enjoys school very much. We consulted with a tutor and a therapist suggested lightening the workload. Doing 2-3 hours of homework after arriving home at 4:30 leaves you very little time simply to be a girl or enjoy time with your family and we want to prevent you from sinking into a depression for this. Thanks for understanding".
The letter accompanies a text extending on the subject. A question is asked that I also ask myself every day:
"She is at school every day from 8:15 am until 4 pm, someone explain to me why should she have 2-3 hours of homework to do every day?
He does his homework until 6.30, then dinner, then an hour to relax (or finish his homework) before going to bed. Does it make any sense? Isn't family time important? Isn't it important to have time to relax at home? Or should I become a 10-year-old alcoholic at work? "
I could not agree more. If after staying in school for 6-7 or 8 hours a child still has to do homework at home, It is a clear sign that something is failing. Obviously, teachers, the school or the education system have a serious problem if the school day is not enough to give the content they have to give. But those failures do not have to be paid by children.
Children have the right to play, at leisure, to spend time with their family without constantly feeling the burden of homework. My daughter sleeps fatally when she has an exam the next day or has not finished her homework that day.
There are other types of "homework" that children should do such as visiting museums, researching on a topic they are passionate about, reading books, watching movies, playing outdoors, playing sports ... Anyway, a lot of things that children are leaving to do because of the overhead of daily duties.
Parents have the right to decide what our children do at home
In his post he ends up saying:
"I guess I'll know something about your school tomorrow. We have some decisions to make. But this is a homework free of homework and I don't care who knows. My daughter has to be a girl".
I feel so identified with this mother. My oldest daughter suffers the same for homework (at home we have already taken action, I will tell you more in depth). Two or three hours a day of homework plus weekends mortgaged by the studies. We said enough!
I believe that parents we have to dare to take the step when we see that our children are having a hard time. Moreover, it is our duty to do so. For them.
It is not a rebellion nor is it about discrediting or attacking teachers. It is our right (and our duty) to decide what our children do at home. The school schedule is not our field, we don't think about how the schedules are organized in the school, but the time the children are at home, what is done is the decision of the parents and the children.
