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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Raising Children Thread
- Thread starter Queen B
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Mastiff
Gunfighter
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Job Corps has done wonders for my 17 y.o. Not only did they help him get his GED, but he's learning a trade, will be taking driver's ed (and they'll pay all the expenses), it has free medical and vision care, they pay the kids (not very much), and when they graduate you get the tools of your trade, about $1200 for starting out money, job placement, and relocation services... worth a look.
http://www.jobcorps.gov/centerlocations.aspx?statename=fl
The best part is you pay nothing... They say it's income based, but what they told me here was basically, "if he needs to go, and wants to go, we'll get him in." Oh, and I see two of the centers, Homestead and Miami, have the ACTS program, that basically pays for 2 years of community college once you finish one of their career courses while you live on their campus.
On an interesting note, when I told my maintenance supervisor (my right hand man) who's been working here for 40 years, he told me exactly where the place was located... he'd graduated from the same place four decades ago!
Zoning Goddess
Cyburbian
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I was a little messy but not dirty when I left for college. My mom threw out every single thing I owned and redecorated in '76 bicentennial crap. Red white and blue. Eagles on the bedspreads, on the drapes. It was horrible. She threw out my lifetime accumulation of comic books. Who knows what I had there?
Clean up, straighten up, but don't throw out. jWhen she comes back to visit, give a warning (24 or 48 hrs) to clean or else. Like I said, I wasn't dirty or messy, just not to Mom's standards, and I had no warning, my stuff was just gone. Hurts when you're a kid.
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As the summer is coming to an end I would just like to say that I am a big supporter of year round school.
My 7 year old is soooooo ready to stop annoying the hell out of me.
(and it probably helps them retain what they learned)
I paid for RT to do a summer college program for high school students. Absolutely no whining or complaining that she was bored. An A and an A- for her efforts
Senior year: SAT, ACT, college visits, college applications, AP and honors courses, student activities committee, weekend art classes in NYC, winter and spring track & field, and learning how to drive. My wallet and my nerves will be shot before its over 8-!
Probably should update on the oldest going to college. The night before she left she asked her dad and I to come look at her room. It was very nicely arranged. She asked if it was ok. I said it was not what I had asked. She cried and told us that she wanted to be able to keep a room. We told her she just had to ask and that she must not leave it a mess when she visits.
Then on her way to college her car died. It was a tough week.
Then on her way to college her car died. It was a tough week.
As the summer is coming to an end I would just like to say that I am a big supporter of year round school.
My 7 year old is soooooo ready to stop annoying the hell out of me.
(and it probably helps them retain what they learned)
I've been thinking about this lately - is summer vacation still a good idea in the 21st century? Most people don't need their children to work in the fields anymore. Local and state governments can't afford to pay their teachers more right now but there really isn't a great reason to have no school for over 2 months of the year.
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Tourism. The tourism industry would kill politicians if they got rid of summer break. I think that less vacation would be preferable with how many kids can do math or spell worth a darn. Also, teachers wouldn't need to get paid more. They would just get paid the same for working a full year, instead of getting paid for a year for doing 9 months of work.
stroskey
Cyburbian
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As a husband with a kindergarten teacher as a wife, I will tell you she does so much work at home and during "breaks" that she is burnt out very frequently after work. I used to think the same as you until I saw firsthand how much she does without recognition. I can't speak for teachers of older students but I know my wife goes through a lot mentally every day.
Think of it this way...
Say a teacher gets paid $40,000 for the year, broken down by 180 school days plus 15 extra days for meetings. That's 195 days per year.
10 hour days (not uncommon for my wife at all) x 195 = 1,950 hours
$40,000/1,950 = $20.51/hour.
Do you think someone with a college degree working in a stressful environment is overpaid at $20.51/hour?
btrage
Cyburbian
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In my all year school scenario, the teachers would not work any more days/hours than they already are. I would simply shorten summer break and then give more time off throughout the entire calendar year.
Basically, let's just get away from having 2.5 months off straight in the summer. It's ridiculous.
Basically, let's just get away from having 2.5 months off straight in the summer. It's ridiculous.
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Witnessing an accident
Took Junior to a cider mill this weekend. As we were heading back through the parking lot, we saw a lady laying on the ground screaming in agony. Another lady was on the spot keeping her head elevated and calling out instructions to what appeared to be her fellow passengers or maybe other bystanders who had happened by moments earlier....grab that blanket and keep her covered, keep her stationary, you call 911.... apparently the poor woman had been run over by some Asian guy backing up who evidently didn't bother to look behind him first. I was impressed by the woman who took charge of the situation, most people would have stood gawking, but she seemed collected and knew what she was about.
Junior was naturally riveted by what was going on, but as it seemed the situation was already as well in hand as could be, I whisked him back to the car without further ado - I figured more people gawking wasn't going to help and might even impede the first responders when they arrived. Junior didn't appear to be traumatized by what he saw, nor did I make any attempt to cover his eyes as I have seen other parents do in these types of situations. Instead, I tried to turn the occurance into a learning moment and told him this is what happens when we don't pay attention to what we're doing and how important it is to listen to mommy and daddy when they tell to do things like hold their hand crossing busy streets and looking both ways when approaching intersections with your bike etc. Afterwards the only thing he had to say about it was "sometimes people get hit by cars and sometimes they don't."
Took Junior to a cider mill this weekend. As we were heading back through the parking lot, we saw a lady laying on the ground screaming in agony. Another lady was on the spot keeping her head elevated and calling out instructions to what appeared to be her fellow passengers or maybe other bystanders who had happened by moments earlier....grab that blanket and keep her covered, keep her stationary, you call 911.... apparently the poor woman had been run over by some Asian guy backing up who evidently didn't bother to look behind him first. I was impressed by the woman who took charge of the situation, most people would have stood gawking, but she seemed collected and knew what she was about.
Junior was naturally riveted by what was going on, but as it seemed the situation was already as well in hand as could be, I whisked him back to the car without further ado - I figured more people gawking wasn't going to help and might even impede the first responders when they arrived. Junior didn't appear to be traumatized by what he saw, nor did I make any attempt to cover his eyes as I have seen other parents do in these types of situations. Instead, I tried to turn the occurance into a learning moment and told him this is what happens when we don't pay attention to what we're doing and how important it is to listen to mommy and daddy when they tell to do things like hold their hand crossing busy streets and looking both ways when approaching intersections with your bike etc. Afterwards the only thing he had to say about it was "sometimes people get hit by cars and sometimes they don't."
ursus
Cyburbian, raised by Cyburbians
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the study habits of teenagers
So last night I arrived home to chaos involving the HS Sophomore in my house. Big honors biology test tomorrow. Study time prior to that moment - zero. Mom is yelling, sophomore is yelling, phrases like "your father works for the government, and they don't give scholarships for good hair, even to State college" are being thrown around.
The short story is that I promised her chocolate and Pringles if she'd start studying, quizzed her at 10:00 p.m. and she knew the material incredibly well.
The bad part is, now i think she'll think (like I did) that she can get away with that all the way through college (which I learned the hard way you can't.)
Sorry for the long post about the Sophomore's antics. She's something else this year. ;0
So last night I arrived home to chaos involving the HS Sophomore in my house. Big honors biology test tomorrow. Study time prior to that moment - zero. Mom is yelling, sophomore is yelling, phrases like "your father works for the government, and they don't give scholarships for good hair, even to State college" are being thrown around.
The short story is that I promised her chocolate and Pringles if she'd start studying, quizzed her at 10:00 p.m. and she knew the material incredibly well.
The bad part is, now i think she'll think (like I did) that she can get away with that all the way through college (which I learned the hard way you can't.)
Sorry for the long post about the Sophomore's antics. She's something else this year. ;0
ofos
Vintage Cyburbian
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I commented a couple of nights ago how pleasant it is at our house since the older one is gone to college. Like night and day.
Getting them out is a wonderful thing, at least until they're all gone and you start to realize how irritating your SO can be without those distractions.
Mastiff
Gunfighter
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That... and how many new chores you have! :not:
wahday
Cyburbian
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There are two very successful charter high schools here right now (and a number of unsuccessful ones!) that are year round schools. For both, I know parents and teachers and they all love it! They do get a number of significant breaks throughout the year and all of that. But I think the key in these arrangements is that the teachers get paid a good deal more and serve both as in-class instructors and school administration. These are very dedicated folks, of course, and they enjoy having more control over the way the school is run. But I think this level of cross-pollination between teachers and administration has been key to their success.
I think if I were asked as a teacher to shift from the current schedule to all-year without anything else changing, I would not be happy at all. Teachers are so often already burned out from the existing arrangement and, the way things are structured in the system, I can understand why. I think I would not last very long in that environment - its very challenging. But if this change were accompanied by other changes in beaurocracy, administration, and the system in general, I see that it could be rather successful. From what I hear of these schools, the kids like the arrangement as well.
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I ask if homework is done and that is it. If she doesn't study and bombs a test that's on her, not me. She's well aware of the selection criteria that each of the colleges has that she's applying to. She's been given a budget for college visits, application fees, and what level of tuition funding from me that she will receive combined with her child support. Because of that she's aware that she's going to have to shill for scholarships which means good grades and test scores. I already told her that if she wasn't willing to put in the time and effort now when her education is free that there was no way that I was going to pay for her to do that. She got the message loud and clear and there has been no problem.
That said...after spending a lot of time in academia tutoring and mentoring young people some are just not ready for the 4 year university straight out of high school. I once told a young woman when she asked me what she should do after failing the same course twice "Quit wasting your parents' money and get serious and take advantage of the resources you have available for tutoring. If you don't want to do that take some time off and think about what you really want to do."
Veloise
Cyburbian
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Community colleges are a marvelous alternative, and they ought to do more to promote themselves as such.
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Agreed. I attended Portland Community College for two years when I decided to attend college and received an excellent quality education. RT has said that if she wasn't sure of what she wanted to study that she would go to the local community college here and many of her friends attend there as well.
arcplans
As Featured in "High Times"
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I was exactly like this in HS. Rarely did i study with the exception of Pre-Calc/Calulus or Chem and Physics. A great example of this i remember vividly was AP US Government:
Girl in class: I study for like 3 hours for this test, how about you?
Me: Ummm.. I watched Friends, Sienfeld, and Sportscenter, then went to bed
Girl: So you didn't study?
Me: No. Pointless. I am going to ace it.
Girl: Whatever.
I aced it, like other exams. My dad followed KJs advice and basically left it up to me but chided me like you did about not studying. I outshowed him each time. My wake up call came halfway through my 1st quarter in college in my Geography class where i bombed the first 2 exams based on my hs study habits, and i realized that failing a class was unacceptable to not only me, but my parents who were fitting the bill. I went to the professor for help and he asked how i was studying for the exams and he basically told me, "keep that up and you will fail my course". Well he showed me some ways to study for his and future classes, and i ended up with a B. Sometimes kids just need to learn the hardway dude.
Veloise
Cyburbian
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Me: freshman year at one Big Ten school, guided there by mother (who wanted me to be separated from BF, attending a different school). And without counseling, trying to follow in the hard science footsteps of sis-the-not-yet-doctor.
Soph year, at the CC: turned in assignments, participated in discussions (classes were a lot smaller, and run by adults rather than teaching assistants). Nailed a 4.0 average. Stumbled across a pamphlet regarding this "urban planning" business at The Other Big Ten school. Applied, was accepted, was given a prescription for freshman-level classes once I arrived (humanities stuff).
Said nuts to that, enrolled in enough CC summer electives to knock those out. The CC offered credit for playing in a community band!
CC tuition: something like $19/credit hr
Big Ten: several times that.
Soph year, at the CC: turned in assignments, participated in discussions (classes were a lot smaller, and run by adults rather than teaching assistants). Nailed a 4.0 average. Stumbled across a pamphlet regarding this "urban planning" business at The Other Big Ten school. Applied, was accepted, was given a prescription for freshman-level classes once I arrived (humanities stuff).
Said nuts to that, enrolled in enough CC summer electives to knock those out. The CC offered credit for playing in a community band!
CC tuition: something like $19/credit hr
Big Ten: several times that.
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This is where I am at with my hs senior daughter - she has reach schools that I told her, even if she gets in, if there is no aid/scholarships, you are not going - so you need your safety school to be a financial safety school, that is, which level of college will give you the money - she is getting closer to that pragmatism but it's driving me crazy
I did the community college route too then transferred to the big university for my last 2 years - it's a great way to save money - but to be snobby, I think the community colleges in NYS are phenomenal so I feel like I learned more there than at the university - I get a great base and I had enough scholarship money to cover tuition, so no loans!
WSU MUP Student
Cyburbian
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Our daughter (who turned 8 weeks yesterday) last week decided to want to fall asleep every night around 10:00 p.m. and sleep between 6 and 7 hours at a shot now. Let's hope she keeps this up!
The only negative is that she still doesn't really like her crib but she has a little chair that lays almost completely flat that she falls asleep almost as soon as being placed into it - she must still like that confined feeling. So we are guilty of letting her sleep a little longer in that than we probably should. We do try to move her into the crib after she's asleep but on those nights where she wakes up too easily during the move and will not go back to sleep, we figure maybe it's easier and beneficial for everybody involved to let her sleep in her chair.
Of course, who knows what we will do when she physically outgrows it in a few pounds or starts rolling over... Then she will have no choice but to sleep in the cavernous crib.
The only negative is that she still doesn't really like her crib but she has a little chair that lays almost completely flat that she falls asleep almost as soon as being placed into it - she must still like that confined feeling. So we are guilty of letting her sleep a little longer in that than we probably should. We do try to move her into the crib after she's asleep but on those nights where she wakes up too easily during the move and will not go back to sleep, we figure maybe it's easier and beneficial for everybody involved to let her sleep in her chair.
Of course, who knows what we will do when she physically outgrows it in a few pounds or starts rolling over... Then she will have no choice but to sleep in the cavernous crib.
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Nothing wrong with keeping her in the chair. At 8 weeks, parents do what they have to in order to keep their sanity. I hope you're not having to contend with a colicky baby. We did and after three solid months of it I can tell you that tested my sanity.
As long as she's lying flat, she should be OK sleeping in the chair. Have you tried keeping the little chair in the crib for sleeing so that she gets used to being in the crib? Try it for naps, first, so you can make sure that the chair won't tip over with her in it.
arcplans
As Featured in "High Times"
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Lucky bastard. My 4 month old son still cannot sleep through the night. He goes to bed around 8ish. Wakes up around 1am with subsequent wake ups at 4 am and hourly from there on out until 7am. This is the complete opposite of my daughter who was sleeping through the night by 10 weeks. I think it is time for the rice cereal to make the tummy full, but i am getting tired of the waking up, putting a pacifier in the mouth and going back to sleep.
If your daughter likes the confined feeling, have you tried continuing the swaddling thing? Both my kids hate it but i hear it works for most kids.
WSU MUP Student
Cyburbian
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She still likes the swaddling but after about an hour she usually kicks herself free (she sleeps like a dog who is dreaming about chasing a squirrel). We do have some "sleep sacks" and put her into one of those most nights though and that helps a little bit.
I've also tried the trick of putting her in the crib and rolling up a couple of blankets real tightly, placing one on each side of her, waiting a few minutes to make sure she is going to stay asleep, and then removing the blankets (of course I don't leave her like that with the blankets and leave the room). That seems to work about 75% of the time.
ursus
Cyburbian, raised by Cyburbians
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True. Living in a family is kind of like being a member of an elite government death squad: sure you're all in it together, but no matter what, you really shouldn't trust anyone too far.
TerraSapient
Cyburbian
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I think the 10-year old inside you just died. Remember back when you were young and your parents would do something ridiculous and you would say, "When I am old, I will never forget what it was like to be a kid". Well my friend, you have forgotten.
Sure there is no "reason" for summer vacation... except that is ROCKS for kids! At least it rocked for me when I was a kid. Plus, I bet it rocks for teachers too! And as little as they get paid they deserve a 2 month break from it all.
ursus
Cyburbian, raised by Cyburbians
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ofos, I raise my glass of Kool-Aid to you, Sir.
zman
Cyburbian
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Things I am learning right now:
- A one year old, despite having tiny legs and arms, can crawl close to the speed to sound, especially when they go to another room.
- A one year old is really interested in the lap top. Particularly when you are completing some homework for a public management certification and he manages to slap the keyboard and find the combination of keys to reduces the screen resolution.
- A one year old loves the dogs. He will crawl into the dog bed with our old dog and begin petting her (read: slapping her side) until she slowly gets up and leaves.
- Speaking of dogs, a one year old can take away the younger dog's favorite tennis ball and crawl around unfettered while the dog follows slowly looking sad.* (good pack hierarchy training, if I say so myself)
*-this still makes me a bit nervous, and this practice is closely watched
- A one year old, despite having tiny legs and arms, can crawl close to the speed to sound, especially when they go to another room.
- A one year old is really interested in the lap top. Particularly when you are completing some homework for a public management certification and he manages to slap the keyboard and find the combination of keys to reduces the screen resolution.
- A one year old loves the dogs. He will crawl into the dog bed with our old dog and begin petting her (read: slapping her side) until she slowly gets up and leaves.
- Speaking of dogs, a one year old can take away the younger dog's favorite tennis ball and crawl around unfettered while the dog follows slowly looking sad.* (good pack hierarchy training, if I say so myself)
*-this still makes me a bit nervous, and this practice is closely watched
WSU MUP Student
Cyburbian
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The rescue of the Chilean miners made me realize that they have been trapped underground longer than my daughter has been alive!
otterpop
Cyburbian
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Nice try, son.
This morning my son tried for the first time to get out of school by faking being sick. It is a milestone. I felt like taking a picture and putting a memory in his scrapbook. However he made several errors.
Last night he expressed a desire not to go to school, so I knew something might be afoot this morning. Mistake No. 1: do not telegraph your intentions beforehand.
He complained this morning of congestion and feeling warm. We took his temperature and it read only 99.3 degrees. Then during breakfast he quizzed us on what was a high enough temperature. 105 degrees? (that would get you taken to the hospital, I said.) 103? (that would get you taken to the doctor, I said) 101? (oh, you would stay home, I said with a knowing smile). So he went into the bathroom with the thermometer and came out a few minutes later with a thermometer reading 100.6. But the thermometer was still wet from when he ran it under the hot water. Mistake No. 2: only wet the metal tip of the thermometer and wipe it down afterward.
So we gave him liquid Motrin for his slight fever. Once again he went into the bathroom and when he came out, there was a drop of Motrin on the toilet seat. Mistake No. 3: If you don't want to take the medicine, pour it in the sink and wash the evidence down the drain.
Then he actually asked me how he could fake diarrhea. I gotta give him an A for audacity for that one.
I was a little disappointed in him. With a little more planning and ingenuity he could have faked being sick better and then both he and I could have had a stress-free day of soup, Connect 4, and TV. You would think a kid in the gifted program at school could have done better.
I consider it a good training excercise for him. He's learned from his mistakes. The next time he will come up with something that will pass the smell test with his mother.
I think I might rent "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," to give my boy some needed pointers.
This morning my son tried for the first time to get out of school by faking being sick. It is a milestone. I felt like taking a picture and putting a memory in his scrapbook. However he made several errors.
Last night he expressed a desire not to go to school, so I knew something might be afoot this morning. Mistake No. 1: do not telegraph your intentions beforehand.
He complained this morning of congestion and feeling warm. We took his temperature and it read only 99.3 degrees. Then during breakfast he quizzed us on what was a high enough temperature. 105 degrees? (that would get you taken to the hospital, I said.) 103? (that would get you taken to the doctor, I said) 101? (oh, you would stay home, I said with a knowing smile). So he went into the bathroom with the thermometer and came out a few minutes later with a thermometer reading 100.6. But the thermometer was still wet from when he ran it under the hot water. Mistake No. 2: only wet the metal tip of the thermometer and wipe it down afterward.
So we gave him liquid Motrin for his slight fever. Once again he went into the bathroom and when he came out, there was a drop of Motrin on the toilet seat. Mistake No. 3: If you don't want to take the medicine, pour it in the sink and wash the evidence down the drain.
Then he actually asked me how he could fake diarrhea. I gotta give him an A for audacity for that one.
I was a little disappointed in him. With a little more planning and ingenuity he could have faked being sick better and then both he and I could have had a stress-free day of soup, Connect 4, and TV. You would think a kid in the gifted program at school could have done better.
I consider it a good training excercise for him. He's learned from his mistakes. The next time he will come up with something that will pass the smell test with his mother.
I think I might rent "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," to give my boy some needed pointers.
LMAO! Otterpop.
So very proud of our daughter in college.(I say with sarcasm in my voice)
The first Facebook pictures of a party where she was drinking. She made sure all the posed pics did not have anything but bet she doesn't even know about the one from across the room where you can see the beer in her hand.8-!
I shake my head.
Yes I know they do it.
Yes I know she does but she protests that she does not. I would just asoon not get lied to.
So very proud of our daughter in college.(I say with sarcasm in my voice)
The first Facebook pictures of a party where she was drinking. She made sure all the posed pics did not have anything but bet she doesn't even know about the one from across the room where you can see the beer in her hand.8-!
I shake my head.
Yes I know they do it.
Yes I know she does but she protests that she does not. I would just asoon not get lied to.
Veloise
Cyburbian
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This leads me to wonder what's going on at school.
ofos
Vintage Cyburbian
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Can't a man have a little bit of pride without having cold water dashed on him?
Veloise
Cyburbian
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???
Pride is fine, but the recent widespread awareness about bullying leads me to suspect that there's something afoot that Jr can't verbalize.
When I was bullied, the advice provided was, "ignore it and they'll stop." Didn't work. Avoidance tactics sometimes helped.
otterpop
Cyburbian
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I am pretty sure it was just he was feeling lazy and wanted to take a "mental health day." And avoid school work.
My son is a brown belt in tae kwan do and he knows if bullied he is supposed to go through the proper chain of school policy, but if that fails, he is fully sanctioned by his papa to open up the proverbial can of whup-ass and serve as large of a portion to the bullying individual as is necessary. I've told him I have his back in those situations and will go to the mat for him if he gets in trouble.
I am strictly old school in handling bullying situations. Ignoring it doesn't work. Talk only works up to a point, especially when it is boys. In some cases, a boy has to demonstrate in no uncertain terms that he isn't putting up with any more sh*t. A trip to the principal and a possible suspension is a small price to pay for delivering come-uppance and showing a bully the price for his actions.
btrage
Cyburbian
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I agree. I've also given my 7-year old daughter the green light to take actions into her own hands, if all else fails.
Sometimes all a bully needs is a quick pop to the nose to correct their behavior.
ofos
Vintage Cyburbian
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I was and am on the small side of humanity so I was subjected to some bullying as I grew up. But it was a learning experience then, not a criminal offense as some would have it now. I learned a lot of valuable lessons including: avoiding, out-smarting, creating strategic alliances, befriending, and yes, even direct confrontation. All have served me well later in life. I don't advocate the practice of bullying but it's never going to go away and taking away the ability of parents and teachers to deal with it hasn't helped.
Veloise
Cyburbian
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Good deal. At least he learned something about biology and symptoms.
Haven't ever found violence to be helpful. The other day, in a small group, we introduced ourselves. Others had mentioned where they came from in the D, so I listed a few of the places I lived before moving here. And a venerable person sarcastically commented, "it's good to know that you are stable."
My gut said, "get up and walk out."
otterpop
Cyburbian
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Do your children have an inordinate amount of homework assigned? I am all for giving my child work to challenge and educate him after school to prepare him for the next day, but it seems like they are going overboard some days.
Case in point, last night he had three math assignments, science, language, and spelling. He worked on it before dinner and after dinner and wasn't done until 9:45. His bedtime is 8;30 p.m.
I don't recall having nearly that much homework when I was in fourth grade.
Made me pissy because I too had to work with him until 9:45 too - explaining things and double-checking his work. My bedtime is 9:30.
So everyone woke up today sleep-deprived and cranky.
So, do any of your kids seem to get too much homework?
Case in point, last night he had three math assignments, science, language, and spelling. He worked on it before dinner and after dinner and wasn't done until 9:45. His bedtime is 8;30 p.m.
I don't recall having nearly that much homework when I was in fourth grade.
Made me pissy because I too had to work with him until 9:45 too - explaining things and double-checking his work. My bedtime is 9:30.
So everyone woke up today sleep-deprived and cranky.
So, do any of your kids seem to get too much homework?
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RT's 4th grade teacher assigned in inordinate amount of homework to the degree that there was a mutiny by the parents on the Parent-Teacher Night. The rule of thumb is supposed to be 10 minutes per grade level so she should have had about 40 minutes and we were getting about double that. It was scaled back after some pressure was placed upon the teacher (she was new and had no kids). RT's 5th grade year averaged 50-60 minutes a night in homework and she's pretty much owned the process since then and I just check the online grading system occasionally as a follow up.
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Our school policy limits homework assignments to no more than one hour for elementary kids with no limit for Jr High kids. There have been a few occasions where homework assignments extended beyond an hour, but mostly because the kid was goofing off and I wouldn't let him count that time toward his hour. Other times, assignments really did overdo it and I allowed him to stop and sent a note to the teacher.
I've seen reports go both ways about the usefulness of homework. My kids seem to think homework=studying. I am having a desperate battle convincing them otherwise, especially the soon-to-be HS Frosh.:-o