Homework sucks....

I have been reading a number of other blogs out there.  Within the past month or two, the subject du jour has been back to school - there are people that love it, and people that hate it.  Not many in the middle.

I am in the middle - school, schmool, whatever.

Except for one little, tiny, unimportant facet of school.

I HATE HOMEWORK.

I am in school myself.  I have homework which generally consists of reading, and writing papers and taking tests.  I also have to contribute to threaded discussions.  This is ok homework.

The homework that I am referencing is Olivia's homework.

For some reason, the teacher thinks that me or my husband should be checking her work.  And writing her letters.  And leaving her nice comments.  As if we normally give her these warm and fuzzies.

What?!

Is this some sort of strange parent/teacher socialist teaching?  I did NOT sign on for this when becoming a parent.  I mean - I didn't have this when I was a kid.  I mean, I didn't do my homework, but that's beside the point.

I get that the teacher wants to make sure that we are involved.  However, Olivia is a smart kid and gets her homework done.  She gets good grades, and the teachers tend to really like having her in their class (at least that's what they have told me so far.) She's not disruptive, she's helpful.

So, when she comes home and EVERYDAY I have to sign a sheet saying that she did her homework, I am frustrated.  This is from the school that didn't send a notice of when curriculum night was, except for one Tuesday, I pick up Olivia from day care.  She's like, Mommy, you have to go to my school tonight.  What?  No I don't.  Did they send something home?  Did you not empty your bag again, Olivia? (This is a recurring issue, btw.  She doesn't give me her papers, but we are working on that.)  So, now, I'm getting angry at her, but don't even have time for that.  Why?  Because Olivia has soccer practice, then, we leave early from soccer because she has dance class too.  Tuesdays are just a little hectic.

I get into her bag and don't see any notice.  I figure she is spouting something off and she misunderstood.  A few days later (when I remember), I ask her daycare teacher because she is also an aid at Olivia's school.  The teacher is like, no, that's not 'til later.  See, look at this page.  We look, and it was a thank you to the parent's that had shown up that Tuesday that Olivia told me about.

I really hate strongly dislike school.  I hated it when I was a kid, and now that I am a parent, I feel just as left out and behind as I did then.  The only difference is that when I was a kid it was because of the other kids, and now, it's because of the teacher's and administrators.

I need to come to terms with the little bit of involvement I want from the school.  Right now, I don't have the extra me to give to the PTA.  I'd like to become more involved, but it's not the right time for me.  Until then, I will have to deal with the amount of homework that I have to do and hope my daughter loves school for a long time to come, even if I hate am not fond of it.



Olivia doing homework while I work my late night.



Mia expressing my feelings on homework.