“They do enough in school”: Irish parents call for an end to homework

Is it time to scrap homework completely?

Children in Ireland returned to school this week after the Christmas break and parents have been discussing whether or not it's time to scrap homework completely. Many students enjoyed a peaceful few weeks without their daily homework weighing them down, but now that schools have re-opened, many of them are dealing with increased levels of stress. Homework is something we just accepted when we were in school, but now parents are questioning it. HerFamily readers expressed their concerns about the post-school workload. One mum told us, "It definitely needs to be scrapped. I have a 5 & 8-year-old in school and my 5-year-old does be too tired, and over-stimulated after school to have the head for homework." Another said we wouldn't expect adults to do another few hours of work when they come home so why should we expect the same from children? One mum added that reading is perfectly fine, but "written homework, especially in secondary school where in one day they could have five or six different classes and each teacher giving their share of homework, is too much." Other teachers also don't know how much homework their co-workers are giving meaning students are more overwhelmed with tasks than they need to be.

"No time to be a child and play."

Parents said spending hours doing homework is taking away from their childhood. "After 5.5 hours in school, they then come home for another hour and do more work. Then get changed, have dinner, and it’s time to get ready for bed. No time to be a child and play. "It should be optional if parents want to give their children extra help, but the option should be there. It shouldn't be the only way." "I hate it, my kids hate it. They do enough in school. Maybe encourage parents to read with their child in the evenings instead. After the homework battle, I'm in no mood to read with my kids which I used to find enjoyable. I think we'd all get more out of that," one mum added. However, some readers feared it would have a negative impact on their children if it was scrapped. One mum said she loves getting involved with her daughter's school work because it shows her how much progress she is making. "I love seeing how far her Irish is coming along and I am learning so much too. When they get older they will need to be able to hold themselves accountable to completing work on their own." But what do you think? Is homework necessary or is it time to get rid of it completely?