Homework!

OK time to get on the soap box as a parent!

My daughter ask me for help with her homework on Monday night, she didn't know where to start with the research, she is only 9 and been set the task of doing comparisons of 3 explorers and didn't know anything about them. I told her to go start the other homework and would get her some information on them. I started to read over the task in hand and was shocked at how hard it was.

She need to to do a lifestyle comparison of an Arctic Inuit and a tribe person of Africa.

Then do a time plan and map diagram of where the explorers have been

write about key highlights of their explorations

The do a list of what they need to take with them and why

Then do a poster on the differences between north and south pole

The do a letter home as if you were an explorer in the early 1900's

She is 9! It has taken us 7 hours joint work to do it all. How is a child to do this alone? how are parents to be able to do this while caring for other children, work and run a home??? For those less fortunate it could not be done in the time given for the task. We had to cram the work in 2 nights as dance classes take over the rest of the week and to be honest if it needed anymore time on it I could not do it and would of rather sent a strongly worded letter to the school.

I agree to stretch the children and encourage learning at home but this is beyond a joke and has for the last 2 days prevented her from playing and enjoying what I see as a far more important skill of social development.

Getting of soap box now!