In an era where parenting techniques are put under a microscope on social media, a US-based mom-of-three has stirred quite the debate in a TikTok video.
Lottie - a mother to daughters in fifth grade, third grade, and kindergarten - openly admits to completing her children's homework for them, especially when they're swamped with after-school activities. As expected, viewers were divided, with some calling her tactics "genius" and others accusing her of breeding laziness.
Lottie's justification? The undue pressure that homework brings just isn't worth the stress, especially when her daughters come home tired after engaging in activities like cheerleading and sports.
"I know every parent helps, but I will just do the homework. I'm not going to have them stress over maths problems they don't have time to do," she explains. Her stance becomes clearer when she points out the difficulty level of some assignments, saying: "Some of these projects these teachers give… I mean, the kids are seven years old."
However, Lottie isn't just about completing assignments for her daughters. She emphasizes her goal to nurture honesty and strength in her children. "I try not to baby them when they fall, I want to raise them to be strong," she asserted. "My biggest goal in life is to have an honest relationship with my kids."
Some parents wholeheartedly sided with Lottie. One person praised: "This is such amazing parenting I aspire to be like this when I'm a mom!" Others confessed to doing the same, relieved to find they're not alone.
But as with every opinion, there's another side. Many are concerned about the long-term implications of Lottie's approach.
A concerned parent expressed: "Doing your child's work for them won't help them in the long run unless you want them to grow up to be entitled and lazy."
This sentiment was echoed by another parent who shared a teacher's perspective on children reaping the benefits of doing their homework diligently.
Interestingly, some parents raised another angle on the debate: the very concept of homework for primary students. One mother recalled how her child's primary school's no-homework philosophy backfired when he entered high school, while others swore off homework entirely.
"My kid's primary school had a no-homework philosophy," they wrote. "Now, my oldest is in high school and is struggling so much with homework. It has me questioning whether no homework in primary school is a great idea after all."
"My house will be a homework-free zone. Kids are in school all day and then are expected to go home and do more school work, no! Reading is acceptable, but that is it," a firm believer shared.
So, do children nowadays have "too much" homework to be getting through? And are you the kind of parent to complete your child's maths homework if they look too tired? Let us know in the comments.
