Different Expectations.

The boy is in first grade. It has been hella long time since I was in school, but I remember first grade fondly. There were rugs and toys and the very coolest blocks I'd ever seen. I remember sitting at out desks doing our Dick & Jane & Spot. I remember paper with the big lines on it for writing our work.

Munchkin has a six hour school day. Of that day 4 hours are straight academics: phonics, spelling, math, health, social studies. One hour is lunch, recess and the time to get ready for those things. One hour is related arts and P.E. They even have lessons and work to do when they go to the media center. They get lessons on heart healthy food in P.E. And they have homework 4 nights a week.

At age 6 my boy has learned that "fantastic friday" is to be loved because it's right before the weekend and there's no homework.

Yesterday the first grade newsletter came home. There was a note in it that said (and I'm paraphrasing) Homework is always to be completed except in an emergency. Soccer practice, music lessons and forgotten folders are not emergencies. If your child forgets their homework, the school building is open until 10pm for you to come back and get it.

If they are this way with first graders, I'd hate to see middle school.