Last Thursday night, I found myself up late, dyeing pasta in vibrant colors and rummaging through our craft supplies for bottle caps, yarn, googly eyes, and buttons—all in a bid to help my 5-year-old, Max, finish his homework. This is homework designed to encourage family involvement in learning, but I can’t help but think it’s a misguided effort for kindergartners.
Max doesn’t even get home until 3 p.m., and like any child, he needs some time to unwind after a long day at school. He enjoys running outside, having a snack, and letting off some steam before we dive into dinner, bath time, and all the preparations for the next day. By the time he’s finally tucked in bed, it’s nearly 8 p.m. Adding homework to that hectic routine just adds stress for everyone involved.
Homework may work for older kids who can manage a bit more responsibility, but it’s not suitable for a 5-year-old who still needs help in the bathroom! If the school truly wants to involve families in their child’s education, I have a few friendly suggestions:
- Please stop sending home endless flyers advertising products.
- Instead, provide a simple list of fun, easy activities for families to choose from at the start of the year.
- Bring back nap time—who doesn’t love a good nap?
- Let’s be realistic; the chances of these kids heading to an Ivy League school are slim, so can we ease up on the academic pressure in kindergarten?
- Make assignments optional.
- Consider sending assignments home on a Monday and allowing the entire week plus the weekend to finish them.
- Did I mention we’re talking about 5-year-olds?
- Ask parents what activities they already do to support learning at home.
- Maybe send home quick worksheets that can be completed in a flash.
- Or just skip the homework altogether!
A kindergarten day is already long enough. Can we just let kids come home to play? Save the discussions about handwriting and number recognition for parent-teacher conferences or slip a note in their backpacks to keep us informed. But please, no more homework for 5-year-olds.
I completely understand that some kids might need more guidance or specific accommodations that make after-school work necessary. I also recognize that not every child works at the same pace. But when it comes to homework with Max, I’ll always choose family playtime and activities over assignments that leave him frustrated and me pulling my hair out.
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In summary, let’s keep kindergarten a time for play and family bonding, rather than homework stress.