Now parents have got sick of homework

CHORE: One in six want it scrapped

Alison Kershaw

WITH the new school term about to begin, many parents are dreading the "chore" of nightly homework -- and some are even calling for it to be scrapped

A poll for the the Netmums website reveals that up to one in six parents (16.3pc) do not think their youngsters should receive homework because children need time to "switch off".

Nearly one in five (18.2pc) said their children receive too much homework -- although 28.8pc think they do not get enough. The website poll questioned more than 1,000 parents.

It found that almost one in three (31.8pc) think their children's homework is "a bit of a chore and just another thing to get done in the busy evenings".

Netmums co-founder Siobhan Freegard said: "Parents are not against homework per se and yet the reality is that so many mums are struggling to find the time to help their children with homework.

"So many of us are out at work all day and coming home at the same time as the children, with a number of household tasks to get done, so it's no wonder that one in three admit that homework is another chore to be squeezed into a busy evening."

The poll also reveals that many parents are stumped by what their children are asked to do.

Four in 10 admitted to being "completely baffled" by a piece of work, with almost half (48.8pc) saying they find maths the most difficult subject.

It may be that the amount of time parents spend helping their children makes them see it as a chore -- 44.3pc said they sit with their children to complete the work together, while almost one in four (23.7pc) said they spend between 30 minutes and an hour each night helping their children.

The poll also reveals that the competitive parent is alive and well. Some 38.4pc said parents get very competitive if their children are set a special project which they are supposed to help with -- "going way over the top and producing things that look like the child has had virtually no input".

hnews@herald.ie