Does anyone else think they are putting too much pressure on grade school kids these days? ?

Question

Expecting them to grow up too quickly? My husband always tells me to cut the cord a little bit w/ my 5 & 7 year old. It really makes me mad when my he tells me this. They're only 5 & 7. They go to school for 7 hours a day. How much more do I need to cut the cord? I realize they have lots of days off, but they also have much more homework than I remember having. I don't think I learned cursive writing until 5th or 6th grade & now they learn it in 3rd grade. Also kindergarten used to be half days & now they're full 7 hour days with homework! Just my thoughts. What do you think?

Answer 1

Yes, I agree.  That's why kids that might not be as fast at learning this stuff is loosing interest and not wanting  to go to school.  When they do send them home with home work, it's so complicated that the parent can't even help the child.  I think it's ridicules and not fare to the child or the parent.

Answer 2

Yes, they are. My son was in kindergarten last year and I was Shocked at what he had to learn. He came home with stories he wrote everyday several papers, plus homework and quizzes.C'mon he is only 5 years old. It's unfortunate that there is that much pressure.

Answer 3

I think exactly the opposite. I learned cursive in 2nd grade at a good school then the school districts got re-zoned and they sent me to a c**p school in 3rd grade and they did not even do times tables. I think kids should be pushed to their full potential. It takes a little extra effort, but otherwise we waste our kids' learning time. If they are going to teach the same thing in 3rd grade as kindergarden then what's the point of going to kindergarden to begin with?

Answer 4

Yes, I do think that school is too much pressure for youngsters.  This causes many to develop a dislike of learning, which is a tragedy.  

Children are in school for most of the day, and there is very little time in the evenings for quality family time, free play, extra curricular activities.  Even less when they are overloaded with homework!  I think it is absurd.

I have chosen to homeschool my children, ages 10 and 8 (and an infant turning one next month), with this being one of the factors we considered.

Answer 5

I had to do cursive in 3rd grade.

Answer 6

I think you're very insightful.  

Pressure on kids gets worse as the years go by.  I know high school students who stay up til midnight doing homework, and then get up at 5am to complete the homework and get to school.

Homework is taking away children's time to pursue their own interests, which is really where kids find out about their talents and abilities.

For these and many other reasons, we homeschool.

All the best.

Answer 7

I learned cursive writing in 2nd grade!

Answer 8

I feel you. Today was my oldest child's 3rd day of school. He is 5 and just started Kindergarten. He goes for 7 hours a day and comes home with homework - already! He loves it though. I'm afraid to pull him out and homeschool him at a slower pace. (When I was a child, learning to write your name was learned IN kindergarten and now you must know how before going to succeed in kindergarten) I'm afraid that if most other kids are learning at a much faster rate, then my son will be behind in the long run. If he struggles later on, we will stop and think about what's best before going on but so long as he is happy and learning and doing great in all aspects, he will stay in public school.

Answer 9

I agree with you 100%. Not only are kids stressed with school and 1 or 2 hours of homework a night, but these kids are so over scheduled with baseball, soccer, ballet, cheerleading etc that they don't have one second of downtime! Let kids be kids for heavens sakes!! (mom of five)

Answer 10

they really do work to much but once they get to middle school the work is expected i get tons of homework everyday but i just get help from my friends or parents

Answer 11

I think as parents, you have to balance things for your children. Usually they don't get stressed out by school and homework alone, it's all the other stuff parents pile on them - like being involved in organized sports and other activities which take too much of a bite out of family time.

If you feel your children are getting too much homework, talk to the teacher. Sometimes it's because the student hasn't done the work in class time, sometimes it's work given for reinforcement.

As far back as I know, and I'm 'old', cursive has always been introduced at the end of grade two and seriously in grade three -- at least in our area of the country.

Don't pass the stress you are having, onto your kids. Maybe that's what your husband is seeing in you.

Answer 12

This is exactly why I teach my daughter at home - we do a couple of hours a day and then we are done - she is ahead of her friends who go to school - go figure!

Answer 13

I'm in 8th grade, and yes they do give lots of homework. I feel like my schedule is jam packed and I end up getting to bed later then I should be.

Heres my schedule:

*6-7 get ready

*7-7:30 bus/get to school

*7:32-2:30 school

*2:45 get home

*2:45-4 friends/"me time"

*4-5 part of homework

*5-5:30 dinner with family

*5:30-6 get ready for soccer

*6-7:30- soccer

*7:30-9 sunday school ect. (various activities)

*9-10:30 more homework/bed

its worse with school sports