Parents Back To School

[gymmomntc2e6]

Well, it was back to school today. Time to see how much homework DD gets. Since she is doing more hours in gym this year - I'm a little worried. Fingers crossed. Maybe a homework fairy !!

DS started middle school. Mom cried

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I'm also really worried about this as well. DD is beginning 8th grade (next week)... her gym practice schedule is M, W, TH, S. Sounds great, right? Well, they have block scheduling here.... meaning they have 4 classes each day, every other day.... soooo if she gets homework on Wed., when will she do it for Friday's class?!?!?!? ARGH!!!!!! Im not really happy!!!

-Lynn

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Last year DD did some in the car on the way to gym, some in the car on the way home (that is why God invented clipboards, isn't it?) and would finish anything left once we got home. Plus dinner, shower - bed at a reasonable hour. This year we will be at the gym an hour later each practice than last year. She goes M, W & Thurs 4-7. I think until Jan. (when she moves officially to L4 ) she can do 4-6 on M & W instead. But... I will be helping w/ Rec. Classes until 7pm. Guess she could do her homework from 6-7 instead of staying w/ L4/5's.

Good luck to you and your gymmie.

 

[Livinatthegym]

We found things pretty managable with homework until high school. Then, with the school day starting before 8 am and practice not ending until 8 pm, there was little time left for it. I won't lie to you; it was tough, and many a tear of frustration was shed.

Then what does my crazy dd1 do? Realize that she "handled" 4 hours practice every night after school last year and sign herself up for every conceivable extracurricular activity in sight.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

We found things pretty managable with homework until high school. Then, with the school day starting before 8 am and practice not ending until 8 pm, there was little time left for it. I won't lie to you; it was tough, and many a tear of frustration was shed.

Then what does my crazy dd1 do? Realize that she "handled" 4 hours practice every night after school last year and sign herself up for every conceivable extracurricular activity in sight.

You were not surprised were you

 

[gymmom14]

I am worried too. Here is my theory. School comes first, so if she has too much homework, she will just go to gym late. She goes until 9 MTW. I don't want her to be stressed about getting her work done and 9:30 at night is not time to try and bang it out.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

I'm also really worried about this as well. DD is beginning 8th grade (next week)... her gym practice schedule is M, W, TH, S. Sounds great, right? Well, they have block scheduling here.... meaning they have 4 classes each day, every other day.... soooo if she gets homework on Wed., when will she do it for Friday's class?!?!?!? ARGH!!!!!! Im not really happy!!!

-Lynn

Will she get an assignment sheet at the beginning of the week so maybe she can work ahead on T ?

 

[GymTwinsMom]

Aw, they grow up so fast don't they??

This is my problem, as like everyone elses, the girls have gym almost every day. They are going into the 3rd grade. Leah has a nasty teacher this year. There were rumors each year from the parents who had that teacher. She gives so much hw, and not so nice to the kids. I think she will have double the hw that Lexi will have. So much stress this year!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

Will she get an assignment sheet at the beginning of the week so maybe she can work ahead on T ?

DD's teachers have never given out the "weekly" assignments since elementary school. They WERE pretty good about posting homework assignments online last year, so I hope they continue to do that this year. I've tried to get DD to do HW in the car, but she gets carsick very easily, so she can't read OR write in the car.... bummer. I have a feeling I may be pulling her out of practice early on some of those Thursday nights! We gotta do what we gotta do, right? After all, school DOES have to come first!

-Lynn

 

[greyhoundrescue]

Here are my tips as a former middle school teacher:

1.) Most teachers know what the assignments will be for the entire week. Even if they don't pass out assignment sheets, if you make an appointment with the teacher during their planning period, explain the situation, and ask very nicely for them to make up one for your DDs/DSs, they very likely will. If you go this route, it would be a nice gesture for you to donate a ream of paper for the teacher to use to print off these sheets.
2.) Middle school is a great opportunity for your children to learn time management and organization. Let them learn at least a little bit of it by trial and error--ex. DS desperately wants to watch a new movie that doesn't end until 30mins past his bedtime. Just this once, let him make this decision. The ensuing grogginess and grumpiness the next day will help him realize why he needs to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
3.) Now, more than ever, you need a reliable calender system to keep track of who is where at any given moment.
4.) Middle school is cauldron of insecurity, peer pressure, and hormones. Fair warning that your DD/DS may suddenly seem more like someone else's child--maybe a lost member of the Addams family? Love them, be consistent with your rules and advice, and hug them even when they don't always hug back. Middle school is only 3 short years. Trust me, you will survive.

 

[mom2kazkids]

School starts next Tuesday for us. DD is in 2nd grade. Her practice schedule is T- TH 5-8, and Fri 4-7. I am actually glad for it, since only two nights are school nights, and by the time Wednesday comes it is all down hill for the week. DD does get about a 20 minute snack time at practice, so if need be she will bring homework to do then.

It has actually been suggested to me by one of the upper grade teachers at school that once she hits 3rd grade where the homework really starts to see if she can stay in during afternoon recess to get started on her homework. It may just be 15 minutes, but it would be a start on the work. I have also told DD to keep a book in the car and get her 20 minutes of reading done on the way to and from the gym.

Barb

 

[kristilyn73]

DD started Middle school last year. The best investment we made was a big Planner for her. Enough room to write down what she has to do and more importantly What she has to turn in. Over and over again she would have assignments done but not turn them in!

It will take a few weeks to get used to the new schedule.. but you and DD will make it through. Communicate with her teachers.. they might give you some leaway