Letter to Homework -- Guest Posting by Missy Stowell

Missy Stowell lives halfway across the country from me. I've never met her face to face, but we've become friends through the internet. I recently read a posting on her blog that sounded like she had taken up residence in my head. She expressed my thoughts exactly. She's graciously allowed me to re-post her letter here.

But first let me tell you how much we loved Thanksgiving break. Savannah had a little work to do on her science project, but other than that, we took a break from homework and it was peaceful, pleasant and fantastic. On Sunday, Joe remembered  he needed to have a book read for his book report this Friday, so he found a book and started reading it. He was loving it, even resisting "lights out" because he wanted to keep reading. Then at school Monday, he found out it had to be a Newbery winner, so he found a book at school and started reading it, setting aside the book that was longer that he was loving. Now read Missy's letter to homework and tell us what you think.

Dear Homework,

I hate you.  There, I said it.  In fact, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! 

I hate how you follow my kids home from school every day.  I hate how you stay way too long and suck the fun out of everything.  I hate how you make my kids feel guilty when they want to spend time with anyone (or anything) else while you’re still here.  I will admit that there have been times I have felt your meaningful contribution to our lives.  Sadly, those times are rare.  Mostly, I just hate you and the black cloud that hangs over my house when you are around.

When you tell my kids they have to read, then they get no enjoyment out of reading.  When you tell them to do math, they complain because they already did math at school.  When you tell them to write, they disappear and try to hide from you and say their tummy hurts and sneak outside because they’d much rather run and play.  But when they come in, you’re still here!  You never take the hint.  I’ve tried to help them get rid of you.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down right next to them to try to help them meet your daily demands.  I’ve colored their maps for social studies. (Since when is Social Studies an art class?)  I’ve helped them brainstorm for papers even when they tell me, “That’s not how my teacher does it!”  If it’s always supposed to be how the teacher does it, then I say let them do it at school where the teacher is!  Actually, I say that even if it’s not always supposed to be how the teacher does it.  So there.

The teacher has my kids for over 7 hours a day.  You know what?  I think that’s enough.  If you always follow them home, when do I get them?  With you here, meal times are always stressful.  With you here, bedtime gets later and later.  Sometimes you even have the nerve to still be here when they wake up in the morning!  When do my kids get to be kids?  When do they get to read for pleasure?  When do they get to be excited about what interests them without having to write a report about it?  An amazing thing happens when you leave them alone:  My kids are curious.  They use their imaginations.  They read and play together and laugh and sing and joke together.  But when you’re here, they fight and cry and yell.  You are a bully.

I hate you.

Sincerely,

The Mom

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