End of homework could mean less stress, more family time

Is it time to get rid of homework?

I can’t remember when I started getting homework at school. But I think it was around Grade 3. I definitely remember working on an endangered species report about manatees in a red DuoTang in Grade 4.

Did I benefit from homework at a young age? I’m not sure. I was an excellent student throughout school. But my study habits were never great and I remain, to this day, the ultimate procrastinator and deadline-pusher.

An elementary school in Montreal recently decided to do away with homework altogether. They join a school in Val d’Or and another in Quebec City. The school’s principal insists that standards for the students haven’t changed — just that they’ve re-organized things so students are expected to finish their work during class time.

Here in Alberta in recent years, many teachers have also voiced their reservations about homework for elementary-aged kids.

No homework for young kids seems to be a buzzy idea. I love it. I wish this for my kids. And if I’m honest, I wish this for myself, my husband and my stepsons’ mom, too.

It’s not like I think homework is weighing super heavily on my sons or anything. But what I know, for sure, is that like most kids, mine lead a very structured life.

Even now, on spring break, the older boys are at sports camp from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Indy is in daycare, because all of their parents work full time.

By the time we’re all home — at around 5:30 p.m. — there’s precious little time to eat dinner and hang out before bedtime.

Often, there are activities like swimming or club soccer. And then, of course, there are appointments and errands.

Plus, the kids contribute around the house by making their lunches and doing their laundry. After all of that, they don’t have a lot of pure downtime during the week, and not a ton most weekends, either. And they deserve some.

My oldest stepson is in Grade 4. He’s had homework the past couple of years at least, from time to time. And when he does, it’s done hastily in the morning before rushing off to school. He has a wonderful school and fantastic, attentive teachers. But I just don’t know how much he’s getting from doing homework at home that he isn’t already getting from doing the same work at school.

That doesn’t mean I don’t think parents and kids shouldn’t put in time if it’s necessary.

But homework for the sake of homework?

Childhood is fleeting. Our kids spend 61/2 hours a day at school. That’s a lot. And it might not seem like kids have a lot to worry about. But their worries are huge in their own heads. Life can be stressful for them, too. And I would like homework to be one less stress on them, if possible.

There’s plenty of time in high school to learn about homework and develop good habits for university, if you’re into that (many aren’t). And junior high could be a transition period. But until Grade 6? I wouldn’t be sorry to see homework go.

Last night, my husband sang with my stepkids before bed. We discovered that our oldest knew all the words to a Kendrick Lamar song (the radio edit, natch). Our jaws dropped. My kid knows Kendrick Lamar? He has rhythm, timing and can rap on a beat. And he has good taste. I learned something new about him last night. I asked him if he knew that I’d interviewed Kendrick a couple of times. He didn’t. He was surprised. I told him about my former job as a music journalist. He learned something new about me, too. It’s sad, but in our busy lives, those moments are rare. And precious. And the more time for them, the better.

I’ll trade homework time for quality family time — any day of the week.