Pre-Schooler and Homework?

Question

Please help! I am the mother of a very strong willed 3 year old. He started Pre-K this fall and seems to be doing really well adjusting to his new school. However, on the weekends he is supposed to complete 2 pages of letter and number tracing and writing. It is not that I am opposed to working with him at home but I havent figure out exactly how to get a 3 year old to sit and do "homework". We sit down on Friday eve. and try to start it, then again on Sat. and Sunday. Each session ends with him being frustrated and irritated because he would rather be playing and me in tears because I feel that I "failed" in teaching him whatever it is that helps children stay focused and want to do well with school work. He is very bright and enjoys school as a whole. He has a wonderfulI memory and can recite various Bible verses, the Pledge, and most of the song "My Country Tis' of Thee". I really feel that he is learning so much, I just dont know what to do about the homework issue. HELP

I feel the way that most of you do, that he shouldn't have to sit and do homework, however that is what the teacher sends home with him for the weekend. I feel that if that is what is expected of him and the other children are turning in the assignments then he needs to be doing the same. But I dont really agree with it.....I am just frustrated I suppose.

Answer 1

I'm a former teacher. I have never felt that homework is appropriate for young children. I think it is a ridiculous concept. Maybe in upper elementary I can see handing out a bit of homework but nothing that would take up more than an hour. But in pre-school?! That is just stupid. Why force that on a 3yr.old. Of course he wants to play! He is three!!

You have a few options:continue at the rate you're going, tell the teacher you disagree with giving a young child homework and he will not be doing it or sit him down and let him do as much as his attention span will allow. If he only does one or two lines of tracing then that is what you turn in. Don't push him or pressure him.

Forcing this kind of thing on a child at this age is only going to make him hate learning. At 3 he should be learning through the world around him by exploring and playing; maybe doing fun worksheets if HE feels like it. To continue to force this on him is only going to squish his spirit and make him resent learning.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Find a way to make it seem like a game to him. Make up songs or stories about the numbers and letters he is tracing. If necessary, bribe him a litte bit (something small like stickers or a cookie when he finishes his homework). Don't make him feel like it is something he has to do. You could also try doing just a little at a time(if you do the homework for 5 or 10 minutes at a time, he should be able to stay focused for that long). Three year olds, in general, don't have the ability to focus for long periods of time. From what you have said, he seems like a bright kid, but remember, he's only 3. Above all, make sure you praise him a lot when he completes his homework, and try not to get too frustrated.

Answer 3

Personally, I think it's ridiculous to expect a 3 year old to sit and do 2 pages of homework, period. However, if he is seriously expected to, try using an egg timer. He can work for say, 5 minutes at a time. When the timer dings, he gets to go and play for a preset length of time. Come back to homework again later. When my kids get frustrated with a homework assignment I send them out in the yard to "run laps". They thought it was funny at first. I said, "why don't you go outside and run around the yard just as fast as you can until you feel better?" They laughed at me, but decided to humor the old lady. But wouldn't you know, it worked! The fresh air and a break from the frustration helps them feel less stressed and they usually come back ready to tackle the problem again.

If either of you is growing frustrated, just let it go until later. I would talk to the teacher, though. I can't imagine assigning a 3 year old 2 pages of homework. He'll have plenty of that in elementary school and beyond. I even wrote my daughter's 4th grade teacher when she assigned outrageous amounts of homework. She eventually listened, as other parents also called and wrote, and turned down the spigot. Give his attention span time to develop. He's obviously very bright and able to learn. He just needs time to mature. Good luck!

Answer 4

I think it is ridiculous to make a 3 year old do homework. I have four kids, 15, 13, and twins that are 11. They are all honor students and get very good grades in school and not one of them had homework in preschool. Sometimes we talked about letters or pointed them out when we were at the store, but 3 is too young to push a child to do something that he clearly doesn't have the patience to sit and do. Ask yourself, do you really want to begin this battle at the age of three. If he is over stressed and hates school now, think how he will feel when you are still having this argument in high school. If he is the smart little guy he sounds like, he will learn everything he needs to know in kindergarten.

Answer 5

I have a 4 year old pre schooler how gets 2 pages of homework on the weekends. It is very hard to settle her down to do homework not that she doesnt want to but she thinks its play time. Once I explain to her its time to work not play then she calms down and does it. I notice after about 15 minutes she gets antsy and doesnt do that good of work as she started. I explain to her what she is doing wrong and take a break. During her break she usually has a snack or dinner but no playing (only because I would have to calm her down all over again) but i do find homework important even from such a young age because it helps to reinforce what she learned in school. It also gives them a chance to show off what they learned in school and with you doing it with them they dont feel like its just a school thing. they learn that it is something important that they need....

Answer 6

I would talk to him and ask him what he doesn't like about his homework. A child that young isn't old enough to hate academic work yet. I also would try to get him to do a page a day and explain that his teacher would like him to practice what he's learning during the week. Pick a time when he's well rested or after he's had a meal and ask him to sit down with you and look at his papers. If he's still protesting, speak to his teacher and see what she suggests. As a teacher, I'm against any type of homework until K, and even then, very light, but that's just me. Good luck!

Answer 7

I think 3 years old cannot be expected to do homework - the school that is expecting this must be living in the dark ages. If they do say that other children do it, then I am sure that the parents must be doing the homework!

I have 2 kids - 6.5 and 3.5 years old. At 3 years of age, the only homework that they got (if ever) was to colour etc. Whatever they learnt to do was in class - mostly letter and number recognition, colour by numbers, trace the path or identify the pictures by their names etc.

My 6 year old who is in Grade 1 gets homework now - that too, something he is supposed to finish in 20-30 minutes as the teacher doesnot expect him to spend more time than that (on an average a kid in his class finishes it in10 minutes)

Answer 8

I don't know how long your sessions are, but when I used to teach pre-school, I had 3 and 4 year olds and we would have several very short sessions of school work. Maybe do 5 or 10 minutes every couple of hours until he starts to get a little more confident. We did about 20 minutes twice a day, so maybe try that too. You just kind of have to mix it up with kids that age and give him lots of encouragement. Good luck to you both!

Answer 9

Pre school should be about developing motor skills and social skills not homework. If you feel you have to do it just do it in5 -10 minute lots as a child that young can bore easily. I understand the teacher is probably trying to develop a routine for later on but maybe simple coloring in or drawing should be enough. Talk to other parents see how they feel about it.

Answer 10

The problem is his age. He is to little to put any importance on the school work. Think of when you were young,were you learning to write at three-probably not.Please relax and enjoy your child and he will learn it when he is ready.No one has failed,not you and not him.The songs are songs,that's why they are remembered easier.The correct year to start all that stuff is 5.let him Learn the ABC's and other things that can be taught by singing for now and let the rest happen as he grows.