How to tell if your kids have too much homework

If your children are experiencing problems concerning their homework and school, find out how to identify the problem before you take a shot at trying to solve it. Homework has its benefits; it gives students a chance to revise what was learnt during the day, recap and prepare for the following day. But too much doesn't just affect your children's mental and physical well being; it affects home and family life too. How can you tell when the school's being unnecessarily tough?

• Developing a hatred toward school is perhaps the primary indication that your kids are receiving too much homework.
• When work becomes everything in children's lives, they start to resent the source.
• Being a kid involves a certain amount of playing and just being a kid.
• If they spend six hours in school working on math equations, another three hours is going to drive them crazy at home.
• Why would they ever want to go back for more?

• Often, a bad reaction to doing homework is an indicator that they're just being given too much.
• If your child becomes hysterical at the thought of homework, it is likely that the workload is too intense.
• Long-lasting nightly hysteria is a sure indication that you should get in touch with a teacher and make a complaint.

• In the same vein, if your child flat-out denies having any homework for long periods or insist he or she has already done it, then it's likely he or she has simply had enough.
• While it is easy to assume your child is just being difficult, this kind of behaviour probably wouldn't occur with a normal 15-20 minutes of homework each night.

• If your child's performance worsens significantly during homework time, it can be assumed that the school is working her too hard.
• Better performance is possible when children tackle five questions as opposed to skimming through 50 or more.

• If your kids develop somatic symptoms and experience an increase in colds and headaches, there is a good chance this is connected to heightened levels of stress.
• Your children's stress levels are likely to increase when they feel overloaded with expectations and tasks, or when they feel like they may get into trouble if they don't meet the school's requirements.
• If your little ones are experiencing any of these problems on a regular or long-term basis, you may wish to take it up with the teacher.
• As a parent, you have the right to present your case regarding what is best for your kids.
• Alternative solutions might involve switching schools or helping with the load.