Homework

Is homework really a necessary evil? I know it's certainly one of the reasons for conflict in my family!

I send my children to a neighbourhood Chinese primary school. I attended both Chinese primary and secondary schools in my hometown and although I don't think much of the way some teachers were condescending in their handling of students, I appreciate the discipline, the hardworking culture and I certainly learned to respect authority and seniority. My husband felt that these attributes were sorely lacking in most government schools and hence our decision to send our children to Chinese primary schools. Plus of course, they could learn to read, write and speak Mandarin.

Nevertheless, Chinese schools also mean mucho homework. While my eldest daughter could handle that very well, in fact she almost always manages to finish all her homework in school, the same cannot be said for my son. It is a struggle for him to do his homework in school because he can't keep his mind off playing and having fun. And when he comes back home, it's still a struggle for him because again, he can't keep his mind off playing and having fun! And so the common scenario is him sitting at the dining table, close to midnight, with reams of homework not done and me, sitting next or opposite him nagging him through the night! It's not a pretty sight, let me tell you!

At this juncture, I can't think of a way of escape. I feel angry that I have to be subjected to this kind of torture and yet, I also feel very sorry for him to have to endure the endless cycle of homework while clearly he is made for other stuff (as to what stuff, I don't have the foggiest idea but it's definitely not homework!)

A friend of mine actually helps in her son's homework, albeit only the coloring bits while other parents totally gave up on our country's education system and embarked in homeschooling instead. I don't have any intention to do the former and I absolutely do not have the aptitude to do the latter!

And so I stick to the present system, and I pray and pray that God in His mercy will transform my son into this responsible and homework loving young man! Somehow, I don't have the faith that it's going to happen! I'm better off praying that God will give me the love and patience to see my son through this phase of his life.