"What do you play with you kids?"
"No time to play"
"Why?"
"My kid.... 3 - 0 = 0! How to play?"
At this point I am usually at a loss of words or I would have too many words. I have heard this once too many times. There are many reasons why a child (10 years or older) cannot figure out the answer to three minus zero. Could be he could not grasps the concepts, or that he might not understand what the parent wanted , or it could be some learning difficulties thats needs to be addressed. In any case, a different approach is needed (we shall dwell into that in another blog), not the rogue matter of learning - need to be creative. Perhaps, something fun approach.
If we just push the homework with not opportunity to play, it will not be good. Parents have forgotten to play. They have become so uptight that having some fun time with children have become a sin. It is just homework, work and exams. If both parents are working and remaining time in the evenings are spent in pressured situations to get you kids to finish their homework - life becomes meaningless.
Am I saying homework is not important? Yes! Especially when quality time is taken away from families. Precious hours robbed from children where children long for the hugs, kisses and smiles of the parents - to play with one another. Only to be replaced only with "have you finished your homework??".
What is worse will be:
"If you finish your homework, I will play with you" (read as "I will love you when you finish your homework")
"I will bring out the cane (usually in Asian families)"
So, are what are we to do as parents?
Hey, who said parenting is an easy thing anyway? It requires, time, energy, balance, commitment and above all - it requires that space be given to our children and NOT be forced into our (parents) own shortcomings or insecurities. Also, have you also thought that children might be reacting to seek for attention?
So lighten up-lah...... go play with your kids - build legos, make paper aeroplanes or vandalize some pictures or something...
If you are still unsure, here are some useful reading, enjoy!
1. The Element of Play in Learning
2. Good Times as Play
3. Role of Play in Children's Learning
4. Play = Learning
5. The Importance of Play
and my other-(better) half says to lighten up.
Worried about homework, try these:
1. Stop Homework
2. More stop homework
3. Homework Doesn't Work
4. If you really need homework.... here do some homework!
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