Anyone else having problems with their first grader having homework? My daughter doesn’t even get home until 4:00 - 4:30. 3 days a week we are not able to do much homework if any. This is due to my work schedule and my son’s. Come 7:00 p.m. when we are available… we have to work on dinner, bath and getting to bed. So essentially, we’re only working on homework 2 days a week. My daughter is missing almost every single word on her spelling tests 
And she is saying they only do the words at home, they don’t work on them at school at all.
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We do our reading and words at dinner time with my son. A few times through and that’s it. I figure that’s when he’s also sitting with me. So it works for us!
Get a notebook and have her write the words and spell out loud during your drive
I have a 7th,4th,1st and preschooler my elementary kids don’t get home till 4ish then 2 days a week they have swimming from 5 to 630 they have Dane 1 day a week and in April soccer and basketball start up we don’t do homework at night we do it in the mornings before they go to school
Do homework in the mornings as well. We used to practice spelling words in the drive to school. Just like anything else, you have to make time for it. Whoever is watching her until 7 maybe can help with the homework as well. Practice well your cooking dinner. There are many options, but her not doing homework shouldn’t be an option.
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We used to do school work during breakfast last year when we had busy schedules in the afternoon. I would wake up my daughter a little earlier, serve her breakfast and take a few minutes while eating to complete assignments with her.
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Work on them during car rides, while getting dinner, in the bath…make it a game…I had 3 within 4 years of each other…they all did sports…sometimes it was 7 or after before we were home….they worked in their work at the others practices as well. It can be done! I was also a “sight word” mom…(went to the school to help a few hours a week)
They most certainly do go over and use those words on the daily! I would talk to her teacher!
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If we have a busy night, I’ll set my son on the counter while I’m preparing dinner and we will do his sight words, skill words, I’ll make math problems out of the stuff I’m making etc. If we have to go grocery shopping, we do it at the store. While we are driving, (even though it’s not homework it’s a chance to practice) well spell words, he’ll use them in sentences, make his own story math problems etc. sometimes finding the time to help her, means incorporating it into your busy schedule by combining it with other tasks Life can be chaotic, you got this mama!! You’ll figure out how to do it!
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I think it is finding what works for your family. Do you know what is on the spelling test? Find a way to include those words into dinner and ask the child to spell
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Homework is good it build responsibility and it isn’t the schools 
% job to teach your child. I have my kids do as much as they can alone and what ever they don’t finish we go over on Thursday cause everything is due on Friday we do this after dinner it doesn’t take more the 20min. Also if your child is not getting the spelling words you can always talk to the teacher and see if there is anyone who can help your child go over the words at school explain to them that you really don’t have time and need help trust me communication is wonderful to have with your child’s teacher you guys are a team.
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During bath time, dinner. Are you getting home at 7 or thats just when you start bath? If shes home with a sitter, they can help
This is a tough one
Please let teacher know that it isn’t possible every evening. Maybe a solution can be found.
I have had copies of my grandkids spelling words on my phone. I can randomly ask 
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My girls are in 5th and 8th and they study after they get home from school. It’s a routine we started in the early years. They don’t need me to help, I just assist with a fake quiz just to check if they are actually studying and completing assignments on their own. Is it possible for her to read over spelling words by herself?
This was our issue, I didn’t know how we survived🥴. Hang in there mama. Maybe on your way home
From school. You can go through it with her
Have her read and spell words when in the car. Make it a game. We do that with math problems too.
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First grader should not have homework, if they can’t manage to teach my kid for the 6 hours they are there then that’s on them. If reaching out to the teacher to ask for grace on due date isn’t an option then I guess the breakfast idea is fine that others suggested
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Homework will prepare them for high grades. Homework is normal and helps them to remember what was learned that day. Make time.
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I know someone’s gonna come for me with this comment but… I as a parent don’t agree with homework in the first place. tbh I never have. I think it’s insane to be in school for 7/8 hours never mind going at the crack of dawn And being expected to do homework on top of it, somehow fit in just being a kid, eat, have family
Time, extracurriculars… if they do them. kids get burnt out!. also if you have more then one kid it becomes even more difficult. 
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Glad there’s never been homework here at that age…
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Do reading and spelling as a bed activity or in the car make it enjoyable , school work is for school it’s what theyre paid for not to take up family time after 6- 8 hours at school
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I’m not really pro/con. My kids are adults. I just know how burned out I would be if I had to work all day and bring more work home at night on a regular basis.
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Not to sound like a jerk but if you want education to be a priority, you have to make it a priority. What goes on between 4:30 and 7pm? Is there an after school program she can attend?
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Talk with the teacher. Maybe she could give the homework to y’all the weekend before so you can have time.
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Routines. If you don’t set up a routine this is what happens
Wow just wow is all I am going to say.
As the parent, you are the primary educator; and education is the priority. You will have to find time during the week. My third graders do have spelling and I review the lessons, but they are expected to work every night on their spelling, math, English language, social studies and writing assignments. Just Yesterday, I was reviewing my students required reading logs, when I noticed some deficiencies. A student told me that her log was not up to date because she didn’t have time. I told her that she would have to make time.
If your daughter is missing most words on her spelling, she needs more time writing and practicing the words. You will have to help guide and work with her every night. Make it a game of sorts, but require that it get done. Homework should be done before going to bed, or an earlier wake up time can be in place if you are an early bird.
Expect homework and more of it at each grade level.
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Was talking to a teacher, and there is no room in the school schedule for teaching the kids the times table or spelling
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I immensely grateful that my youngest (13-6th grade) hasn’t had actual “homework” since 1st grade. The school district follows the new data showing that homework really doesn’t have the benefits that they use to believe it does and that the kids grades faired better allowing them to have the evening for family time, sports and jobs (for the older children).
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That’s too much for a first grader. They spend their whole life at school then come home and have to do homework? Nope. Family time is most important.
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It’s your job as a parent to make time to study…
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I don’t I understand you’ll new parents now days…WTH…are you talking about you don’t have time. You need to make time. I was a working mother and worked PTA at school still had time to come home and help three kids with home work… what are you talking about thu do t even give home work to kids now days… you’ll are lazy parents now day… damn enough said
I think this homework business is bulls***t,my grandson who is in kindergarten has homework,he doing reading and subtraction! Come on people enough is enough
I have stopped worrying about homework now… children’s go to school for long enough for 5 days a week it’s not fair that they go to achool for hours 5 days a week and come home and have to do more work and reading jts not fair on them!! Tbat time is for family time, playbwith their toys tea bath bed etc.
I really don’t agree with homework and reading books! So I’ve give up with them now.
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My kids school doesn’t give homework till middle school. It’s weird AF, they didn’t do that when I was in school.
We simply don’t do it. Not in first grade. The teacher sends home multiple worksheets every day. I read to her, we practice reading signs and things all around us. My daughter is gone from 7:30 am until 2:30. It is a long day for a 6 year old then spending another hour on worksheets seems a bit overboard. I don’t know when they changed over to homework in the first grade but my three boys never had it this early. I could homeschool and be at a desk in less time than what she spends in school. Ask the district leaders why spelling words is solely falling on parents shoulders. Why aren’t they practicing the words in school? Doesn’t make sense to me.
it’s your job as a parent to make sure it gets done. you’ve already admitted this is because of your work schedule.
- find other work with better hours
- homework needs to be done before bed. regardless.
- who is with her from 4:30-7? could they work on it together.
she’s going to continue to fall behind at this rate. also, as the daughter of a teacher: they definitely do go over those words throughout the week. the homework is to help her practice the words.
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The only homework most older kids have is what they do not complete in class. My first grader has spelling words to practice and we read together each night before bed. That should be the extent of what they have.
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What age is 1st grade… my daughter is p1 age 4 …
She doesnt enjoy homework like her big sister, but you also HAVE to carve time as soon as your home to do it… football practice ect is all second to their education in my opinion… sit at a reasonable time and talk those each part… it will become the daily norm. Xx
Our district does not give homework until middle school and that’s things like book reports that can’t be finished during class. Sure we should be helping them read and spell at home we have my 6 year old spell words while he’s helping cook dinner like milk, eggs, cup, water
Honestly…don’t sweat it! With spelling or basic math…throw out questions randomly cooking dinner, in the bath, on the drive to school. Life isn’t traditional these days for many families so you just adapt. If you can only sit and actually writing homework done once or twice a week that’s okay…glance at it on Monday and throw out questions through the week so by the time you can sit and do it, it will hopefully be stress free because it’s been fun and light hearted all week.
And to those who are up you about this… talk to your teacher directly. Not all teachers are fans of homework but 99% of them have ideas to help get kids caught up if you don’t have free afternoons like this. You’re not failing your kid, you just have to find what works.
Post the words around the house and have a scavenger hunt. My son use to like this. She has to just memorize them unfortunately so have her write them 5 times each spell then outlook etc
My boy doesn’t like to do it but his teacher told me she’s fine with him just doing his spelling words. She hasn’t sent him home any home work in a while
They don’t do homework here
My daughter is in second grade. Each week starting on Monday they bring home a small packet of homework. Mainly it’s a page of reading which they read 3 times each night. One with questions of the reading so they try to think of the story and writing a complete sentence. One of math which is also their weekly math quiz at school. And currently One sheet of cursive writing. They just started learning cursing and she is excited about it.
During school hours they do pre-test spelling words paper. Their pre-test math test.
When she was first grade she had the sheet of paper to read 3 times each night. Encouraged to read nightly 5-15 minutes. That includes the sheet of paper. It would be her reading, us reading together or just me reading to her. She had simple math paper with 30 math problems. And practicing writing some of her letters.
You need to find the time! Do little quizzes during bathtime, over dinner, in the car!
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My child is 5 and In kindergarten. She goes to school all day and comes home with more than 3 things of homework a night. It’s the most infuriating thing ever. She’s 5, she doesn’t need homework.
What I do is suck it up lol. I hate it but we get it done. Even if it’s in the morning and she has to get up early. I guess this is the start and they will probably have more homework in the future. Might as well start a pattern now.
I do sight words spelling by asking my kid how it’s spelled instead of asking him to write them ! I totally get being a busy working mom but if her school work is suffering something needs to change for her best interest ! My son is 7 he gets homework we play for a bit after school , then he does homework , while I work on dinner and we do bath before bed ! I’m a business owner with other children as well so it’s definitely time management and making the effort to ensure she succeeds in school. The school can call cps etc if her grades continue to drop !
At bedtime my daughter and I read a book each night. She reads and I read. This helps her learn words and to keep them fresh in her brain while not in school. It seems to be working out great for her! She’s reading full sentences and everything now. Just needs help pronouncing big words sometimes still.
As for homework, she barely comes home with it. If she does, it’s mostly because they couldn’t fit the worksheet into their classwork for the day. Yet, it’s always extremely easy for her. Nothing she hadn’t learned that day and usually just a couple math questions to keep her memory fresh.
if not already stated, call the school up & have a sit down with her teacher
I dislike homework. I understand the idea behind it however my kids are at school all day learning. When they come home that’s their time to relax, play, enjoy family, and unwind and let go of school. Also many parents can’t help the children with homework due to work, learning disabilities themselves, etc. my kids wil occasionally want to practice some things they are learning in school on their own and that’s great but they shouldn’t have more work piled on and expected when it is there time to be home! Unless homeschooled I feel home is home and school is school. They have a lot of life skills and such to learn at home and be taught by parents as is! (My opinion)
Some older kids in middle school and high school need volunteer hours for national junior honor society and/or confirmation. Ask around could be a win win your 1st grader can get some homework help and the teenager gets their hours.
Why is there homework when they’re at school all day 
1st grade is way to young to already be having homework. Thank goodness our schools don’t. Kids are already at school all day why should they come home and work all night.
First grader shouldn’t have homework
No child should have to go to school all day and then do homework at home
I don’t make my kids do homework. Nothing has proven homework beneficial so I tell the teachers they can do school work in school and enjoy being home to do whatever after.