Calling all moms with school-aged kids--how do you handle all this homework?!
I'm sure having a deployed spouse does not help at all, but I'm needing some encouragement, tips, strategies, ideas on how to organize, keep track of, and help the kids benefit from homework.
If you're willing to spill it, meet me after the jump.
I have two girls. The oldest is a fifth grader and the youngest is in first. We started at a different school this year and I'm very happy with it. However, I've noticed that I'm having trouble handling work, housework, household things, sports and practice schedules and making sure the girls' are prepared for homework.
For instance, my youngest has a math worksheet every night. And, this week, she began with spelling homework every night. This work comes home on Monday and is not due until Friday. Unfortunately for us today, we realized that we had not completed two evenings of spelling assignments (don't ask me how--I plead the Fifth) and my daughter had to write a sentence featuring each of her 10 spelling words before we left the house this morning.
I did take one positive step in employing a binder where we keeping two sections of assignments or project news. "Ongoing" assignments like my oldest daughter's 'current events' assignment for science which happens four times throughout the year with the same instructions applying to each due date. Then, we have a section for things going on this month only--my daughter's band concert instructions, the spelling journal instructions, Book-It forms, etc. go there.
My problem is, if I'm not seeing it, it slips my mind. The flipside of that is, I "see" entirely too much paper and clutter if I don't corral it somewhere. Add to that, the comprehensive information for math and other assignments on the school's website that I should be studying and committing to memory and I feel like a total slacker.
What do you do at your house? If you homeschool, what tips can you offer those of us who don't that might help us stay organized? I want to help the kids become self-sufficient and responsible for their things, but I'd like to do that without hollering or breaking out in a sweat on Friday because I realize we are behind on homework. And, what do you do if your deployed spouse is the math whiz and you are definitely NOT.
I'd love to know, so please put it in comments!
