The Peace That Comes with Homework

Let's Imagine a world where once school closes, children leave their books behind and take nothing home. No homework, no assignments, no stress, just free time. It may sound sweet. But honestly, we won't love it as parents, homework plays a good role in the lives of our children.

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My niece is 8 years old. She’s full of energy, very smart, and too fond of her tablet. During the holiday, the moment she wakes up in the morning the first thing she looks for is her tab. It’s not even funny, she will go from one game to another and then open YouTube, shouting and laughing at the top of her voice. The whole house will be upside down with noise. You would think we’re running a daycare center But all that changes when they resume back to school, she closes by 4 p.m

Once it’s 4 p.m. and she settles down with her schoolbag, that’s when peace returns. It’s like a miracle. For the next three hours sometimes even more she’s busy. No more cartoons, no more jumping on the chairs, and no more disturbing everybody. She becomes calm, focused, and quiet. The whole house benefits. We can rest. We can hear ourselves think. We can even watch TV in peace. When she finally finishes around 7 p.m., it’s dinner, a little talk, and then bedtime by 8 p.m. I honestly believe homework helps us maintain order in the house.

So, if anyone asks me whether kids should stop getting homework, my answer will be no. I believe homework is important. But it must be the right kind of homework.

Let me explain. There are two types of homework in my eyes. The good one, helps the child revise what was taught in class. And the wicked one, where the teacher teaches A in school and gives Z as homework. How will the child cope? That’s how parents start doing assignments for their children or even start Googling things they don’t understand themselves. It can be very frustrating.

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I remember one time my niece was taught simple addition in class. Just 1 + 1 and 2 + 3 kind of stuff. But guess what they gave her as homework? Word problems with multiplication and even division are hidden inside. I was confused. She was confused too. I had to sit with her and break it down, step by step like I was the teacher. That’s not fair. Homework should not be a punishment. It should be a way to practice what was already taught.

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of parents complaining on social media about the homework given to their children, parents now sit after a long day at work to rack their heads all in the name of homework, what is being taught is always different from the homework giving to children, a man even said it is better for him to be teaching his children than to be paying heavily for school fees and still be the one to be doing their school work every day.

I understand some parents don’t like homework because they believe children should rest after school. And I agree, rest is important. Children need time to play, talk, eat, and sleep well. But if there is no homework at all, will the child remember what they were taught? Or will they just play all evening, forget everything, and then start fresh confusion the next day?

Some children even forget their books in school when there’s no homework. It’s as if school doesn’t matter to them anymore once they’re home. But when they have homework, it keeps them connected to learning. It gives them responsibility. It teaches them time management. It also shows parents what the child is learning in school.

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I believe the problem is not homework itself. The problem is how it is given and how much is given. Children are not machines. Give them something small but useful, enough to keep them engaged, but not too much to stress them out. Teachers should work hand in hand with parents to make sure the homework is within their age limit and directly connected to the classwork. No need for extra stress.

In my niece’s case, homework helps her settle down. It balances her. Without it, she becomes a storm flying from one app to another, calling everybody’s name, and begging for snacks every two minutes. But with homework, she’s like a tiny adult. She sits quietly, writes, thinks, asks questions, and learns. That’s something I personally enjoy watching. And honestly, it’s good for her.

So no, I don’t think removing homework completely is a great idea. It may sound good in theory, but in real life, especially in homes where children have too much access to TV, phones, or tabs, it can create more problems than it solves. The house will turn into a mini playground, and parents will be left with the stress of managing wild energy.

This is my response to this episode of the hivelearners community prompt of #hl-w164e02 which the topic is tagged NO MORE HOMEWORK

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