January 17 Reflections

I'm in my office, now, just finishing up, and it seems like every day, I run into at least one person for whom homework has dominated that person's life in a negative way. Sometimes I talk with these people after they've grown up, and sometimes I see them as children, and talk with their parents. I hear stories of nightly battles to get the work done with the parents thinking there is something seriously flawed about the child, and I pose the question: What do you think would happen if you limited your child's homework to a half hour each night? The half hour is over and the requirement is done. These parents are shocked to hear this notion (although they feel powerless to put it in place), yet almost always recognize what a difference it would make for family life, if they had the power to make that decision. Imagine, homework in a container. It doesn't dominate life. It gets done. It gets somewhat done. Maybe there are days it doesn't get done at all. But it comes to an end, and life can go on.