School | A Little Less Fluff

Parents, let’s get real here for a second. Let’s just get real and discuss the issue like the adults we are. Or supposed to be.

Homework.

What’s the deal hmm? Is it just me or are they piling the kids pretty strongly these days? I’m not saying I have just noticed it, I’ve actually been debating this for the last two years (mostly with myself and the Hubs). If I can recall (which is sometimes hard), we really didn’t have THIS much homework everyday when we were at school? Especially not at 8 years old! Besides that fact, it is also repetitive homework. What is the deal here?

I actually recently saw a video comparing kids from Finland vs United States regarding homework. Interesting indeed. Did you know that Finland has the best education system in the world? I repeat, the world! I duly went and googled this to see exactly what the hype was about. I was not disappointed. I am most certainly not advocating that there should be a no homework system etc etc, but do yourself a favour and google “Finnish Education System”. Watch the vids on YouTube. And yes, I know I am comparing apples and pears here, but it is still damn interesting.

Like I said I am not advocating anything, it is just amazing the results Finland is getting with the changes they have made over the years regarding their education system. Percentages/rankings in Math and Science, for example, for Finnish students are one of the top in the world. Its amazing to see. Would that sort of system work here in South Africa? I honestly can’t say. There would be a tonne of work to do first.

Aaannyyyways, in between classroom work and extra curricular activities, there is homework Mon – Fri. It is exhausting for kids who aren’t even a whole 2 digits old yet. I feel for them. My two are troopers through it all though. But I know there are those parents out there who struggle daily. And its not easy. What are your thoughts on this? Would love to hear.

Until next time

A Little Less Fluff

I think my kids’ school is trying to make me look stupid. Or mind fuck me. One of the two. Because either I am completely inept in reading notices etc that they send or they forget what it is they put in their damn notices to begin with. I’m not one to complain (I lie, I complain a lot (have you read this blog?), about a lot of things, but I digress…) but surely if they put something in one of the letters they send home regarding clothing or an event etc, this is, by rights what is supposed to happen right? RIGHT??

Let me paint the picture for you: the kids started school this week again after a week school holiday. At the end of term they receive a calendar and notice regarding the new term etc. Sport start up being one of them…
Last night, it being a Tuesday, (at bed time, because clearly any other time from when I come home from work is just not appropriate) my Son says to me “Mommy, we must wear sports uniform tomorrow, since we have sport”. I smile, thinking ‘Oh dear, he has again mixed up his weeks’. I duly respond “no hun, sport only starts next week remember?” He then protests “No no! We have to. Teacher (I will not use her name) says we must wear since we are doing sport tomorrow!” He always has sport on a Wednesday. I was about to say…’your sister did not have sport today’ (since her sport day is on a Tuesday) when piping up from her room my Daughter says “We did sport today! It wasn’t fun in my school uniform!”
Calmly (or as calm as I could be inbetween deep breaths) I indicated that fine, he would wear it the next day. Anything to get them to go to sleep at this stage. I said goodnight and that was that.

No. It. Was. Not.
Leave it to two nearly 7 year old’s to make you think you are losing your shit. I duly then went to look at the damn calendar. And there, in bold no less, it states “Sports Resumes” from Monday 19 October. I breathed a sigh of relief. Because firstly I wasn’t going completely bat shit crazy (again) and second the School was clearly having a senior moment.

What really gets me though is the fact that this is not the first time I have engaged with my kids (to the point of them nearly being in tears) as to what they are told in class to tell us versus what is on a notice sent from said school. And if plans had changed then surely another notice or a note in their homework books would have sufficed? The kids are in Grade 1 for heaven’s sake! The potential for info lines to get crossed can happen! (I won’t get into the whole sending one of them to school in civvies (plain clothes) when it clearly wasn’t the day to do so). I mean it’s just logic.

Long story short I duly sent my Son to school this morning is Sport uniform.
BUT WAIT, there is more.
He then proceeded to have a near meltdown because I wanted to put his school tracksuit over said shorts and school tshirt (since it was cold this morning). “We can’t do that! I don’t want to get into trouble!” This ranting continued until I had to go and fetch that damn notice indicating that it may be worn in the event that it is cold. I showed him the notice and made HIM read it. He reads so well (insert proud mommy moment here)
He then, and only then, agreed to wear it. By the time I got to work this morning I was dead.

Anyone else have similar instances with their kid’s school? Would love to hear.