Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Internet homework

I am curious what other parents think about internet homework. All three of my school-goers brought home internet homework today. I am really, honestly, truly tempted to send notes in to their teachers, because I DO NOT believe in letting the children have computer time during the school week. This seems to feed their computer obsession, which granted they come by honestly, and result in plummeting grades. When I allow them to do internet homework, I have to play 'computer police' because they will, in no time flat, skip over from the homework website to a gaming/Disney/Nick/etc website. Therefore, internet homework means that I have to plan dinner/feed babies/clean/etc around the amount of time that my kids are on the computer. Tonight that will be approximately two hours.

If you are reading this, please let me know where you stand on this.

3 comments:

  1. I'm with you 100%. I often feel like my family is one of the few that limits computer time for my kids. I let my 10 and 8 year old have 30 mins. of computer time on the weekends, and even on weekdays IF IT FITS INTO OUR SCHEDULE and if they're homework and chores are done. They rarely have computer time on weekdays because those stars don't line up very often. I also don't let them on very many sites: I have a real issue with Disney/Nick, etc., because they are so commercial and consumerist.

    I don't like the idea of kids having internet homework at all -- we haven't had any so far. I guess I understand that it's a medium that kids love so the logic goes that they will learn... but I'm not convinced of that. I love my computer, but I just don't think it's good for kids to spend much time on it at their ages (my oldest is 10). That will come in time, right?

    ALSO, I often feel, as a mother of 5, that teachers assign a "reasonable" amount of work for a family with 2, maybe 3, kids. "Reasonable" takes on a different meaning with a large family.

    I would send the note to school. If nothing else, you are advocating for your own family and for large families everywhere!

    As for tonight, maybe they lose their weekend computer priveleges if they stray off the homeowork site?

    Let us know what you decide to do!

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  2. I agree about sending in a note. I don't have problems with computer time, mostly because it makes my kids leave me alone, and they can't read so they're limited to pbskids, nickjr or disney. But what if you're a family with no internet access? It bothers me that the schools assume we have nothing to do in the evenings other than supervise homework or run kids to the library (if you don't have the internet at home), etc.

    I did have to write my daughter's KINDERGARTEN teacher a note to let her know what's going on here at home, and explaining why I can't get the poetry and math homework done. She was really really nice about it and said from now on if work is missing she won't even ask about it. But even aside from my single parenting situation, she's in all-day kindergarten. Shouldn't they be able to get it all accomplished when she's there from 9-3:30, 5 days a week?

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  3. Teachers LOVE homework. Monica touched on this, but when all of yours are in school it will be SO MUCH WORSE. My three in school started homework at 3:00 (today was early release) and finished at 8:00. They had to take turns on the computer, they all had written assignments as well, and they all had to wait for my help at some point. Add two babies, diaper changes, dinner, baths, and TRASH NIGHT...it really is a wonder that I am this sane, or only this insane.

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