11 Plus Exams Forum

When my boys start next September, their days will be longer and they will have more homework of course. Despite my long standing dislike of children having loads of out of school activities, we do have three evenings per week when we are busy for three hours. Now, how has everyone else coped with this? I am not a fan of homework in the car as a regular activity, so do other parents find that most homework has a week or so to be done and with three nights if not much, they can catch up on there other days (obviously it depends is the answer, but just in general), or did you find that DCs just had to let something go? They'd be so sorry to see any of the activities go, we have a keen gymnast, which is so good for him, and both do a different professional music commitment too, which they love. I suppose I just have to be led by how they cope? But just wondering a bout others experiences.

Sorry, have moved to general subjects, didn't realise I was just in warwickshire

It probably depends on the child and how much energy/motivation they have- My dd dropped band and scouts in Yr7 as both were friday night and she was worn out by then. She kept going with Guides and that is what she has stuck with and absolutely would not miss. She now has Dance as an after school club as well and stays for science lectures after school and has choir or helps in the library at lunch time so she is pretty busy anyway

DS has dropped everything as he is really tired most days and having homework to do most nights is enough for him.

Yes, i suspect that may well happen here. They are almost as young as they could possibly be, for their year, so think pure tiredness is going to make things difficult.

Have you got twins, Yamin? (Dumb question as you've said boys, but I needed to ask!)

JD

My dd2 is tired. She certainly doesn't spend hours on homework, but she's tired from having to "run up and downstairs" for every lesson (good for her!), doing more sport at school, her school day is half an hour longer, and she cycles to school.

I think the whole change has been a shock to her system. She used to do Guides and a club on Fridays, but has given both up. Takes herself to bed at 830pm, I used to have to start nagging her at 930pm.

But everyone's different, some of her friends get home later and do clubs - and spend hours on their homework too.

It really depends on your child (and your desire to be a taxi driver!). Mine was allowed to go and try things out in senior school - there is at the moment - not a day without extracurricular activities (incl weekends)- two on some days + about 1 1/2 hours homework every night. Against expectation, it seems to have turned my very disorganised 13yr old suddenly very organised -needs must, I suppose. However we are really keeping an eye on reports etc as I am sure at some point this will all be too much.
When my other dc starts yr7 next year I think things may be quite different as completely different kind of child.

We have things on 3 evenings per week and sat/sun sport and didn't drop anything. I find that because my DS wanted to continue, he has been able to do much of his homework on bus and when pushed at lunch. If anything it has spurred him to get homework done at wend so can keep up with activities. However, it did take him most of year 7 to realize it isn't good to cruise on the low homework days as it starts to reach crisis point on the other days!

It gets more of a challenge as they move up through a school.

JamesDean wrote:Have you got twins, Yamin? (Dumb question as you've said boys, but I needed to ask!)

JD

I do, JD. And two different schools to look forward to!