School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

So DD is in first grade and I feel like every other day she is coming home with something she (read that as I) have to do in addition to regular homework.
I don't mind the occasional project, or what have you, but after awhile it gets hard to keep up as a full time working mom- between the homework each night, the reading logs, and now the extra stuff.

And on top of that, half the time all this stuff winds up costing me money or sending me on a wild goose chase to find supplies.

For example in the last few weeks I have had to buy her a "70s themed outfit" for a 70s dance the school is hosting. It couldn't just be a normal Father/Daughter dance like everyone else has where the girls' dress up in a nice dress (like a nice dress I already have!) no it has to be 70s. I dont' have 70s clothing for my DD laying around. I had to scour Amazon to find something that looked "70s" and would be delivered in time.

Then just yesterday I get a note home that for the 100th day of school they need to dress up as a 100 year old person. Again, less than a week notice. I don't have old people clothes and props laying around so guess who has to spend the weekend looking for stuff and spending more money?
It's not even the money- it's finding the time to do this and the stress of coming up with stuff. I'm not creative!
This is in ADDITION to having to bring in 100 objects in a bag for the class to guess what it is.

Then there was Flat Stanley- so now we have to mail Flat Stanley to someone and they have to take pics and write a letter to the class. So now not only do WE have homework, we are spreading the joy to our family and friends. I'm sorry I don't feel comfortable asking others to do assignments like this.
So I am going to fake it and do it myself. Great parenting right? Sorry, but I won't inconvenience others with this crap.

Then every month is a spirit day where you have to do crazy hair, crazy socks ,sports team shirts, dress as your favorite decade. More things to buy, more ideas to come up with, more stuff to stress about.

Near the holidays was disguise the gingerbread man so he doesn't get eaten.

This week it's - cut a milk carton in half and decorate it as a Valentine's Day mailbox in addition to writing out all the Valentines' for the class.

Oh and bring in something for the party on V day.

Add to that their "Leadership" journals and goal setting. Yes goal setting- in 1st grade! I'm sorry but her goal right now is amass as many Shopkins and My Little Ponies as possible. That's her goal.

I swear it's just a bit much. And I know, I know, it will only get worse.

But I don't get home until 6 and weekends are packed and I'd love to be able to relax and have family time on my 2 days off.

DD LOVEs school and loves doing homework- always wants to do extra. So the homework for us is a breeze.

It's just all the extras- I feel like I need to start a spreadsheet to keep track of what is due when, what we have to buy, construct, create next....
or I am going to drop the ball. It's more stressful than my job sometimes!

OK, vent over. Just wanted to see if others had the same experience.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

OMG that would drive me nuts and I don't know if I could keep up with all that. DD is in 1st and DS is in 3rd and I haven't experienced any of that with their teachers. We're actually the opposite. This year both teachers commented at back to school night that there have been studies that homework doesn't help students so it feels like they have "family nights" like once a week.

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

OMG - that's insane. I am stressed since we're in PARP right now - we have to do the book log as well as read a book together that the whole school is reading... So it's basically like double reading every night (and single reading is pulling teeth).

DS is in 1st and he doesn't have any of those things.

He just has to sign valentines for his class (the letter said he doesn't need to address them individually). We don't have monthly spirit days - they just need to wear their school t-shirt once a month (and they give it to you). There is a spirit week in the fall where they do crazy hair and stuff, and occasionally they will throw in a pajama day as a reward...

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

wow that is a lot. My DD is in 1st grade too and she gets an ELA worksheet and Math sheet daily due the next day plus a spelling packet given on Monday and due Friday. She will get a spelling test every Monday. Besides daily reading, that's it. There's no extras.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Yes we have the same and it's SO ANNOYING. I even hate all the homework. I don't think they should get homework until they are able to completely do it on their own, like 3rd grade or so. I don't remember getting homework when I was 6.

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

We are in K in a special ed class. We get 4 pages of homework every night plus 2 poems to read. Projects do get a bit out of hand, but I don't do them all. I just don't have the time. As it is homework can take up to an hour to be done. I don't have time for projects. Our 100 day project is due Friday and I am going to do it tonight.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Annoying and it gets worse as the years go on I feel like! I would be super annoyed by the 70's thing...I mean, what kid really wants to dress like the 70's anyway?! We have done a sock hop, but kids typically know poodle skirts, etc. I feel like if I told my kid we were doing a 70s dance, she would be like huh?!

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

This is on Amazon for 100 year old costume....looks like an old lady one! I had seen it last year when I had to buy a costume for immigration day. Add some granny glasses!

https://www.amazon.com/Forum-Novelties-English-Nanny-Costume/dp/B01DMNYNOK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486573903&sr=8-3&keywords=english+nanny+costume

Message edited 2/8/2017 12:12:56 PM.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Message edited 2/8/2017 12:28:21 PM.

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I actually don't have a problem with any of these. The kids enjoy it and it makes their day a little bit more fun rather than the work work work mentality that is pushed on them to early at school (IMO).

I totally understand it can be annoying and a pain in the butt especially for a working parent, but by the time they are in 3rd, most of that goes away or the kids can do it themselves. Ask the teacher if they have a list of events for the year and at least that should be a help to plan it out. Even if they don't have exact dates, they know what they are doing because it's normally done every year.

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

We're only in year two of preschool but I don't think I've ever gone out and bought something for a school project. We have a stocked craft cabinet with construction paper, foam sheets, felt, and some Alex craft kits. Everything we've had to do has come from that drawer. If it's a dress up day we use what we have. Everything doesn't have to be perfect and dd has gotten used to that. To dress as an old lady I'd just use a simple dress, put her hair in a bun, and add some baby powder. That costume is adorable but no way I'm spending almost $30 for a school dress up day!

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I totally feel your pain on the school projects. I will say that for the first time my 3rd grader had a project that she took the lead on which was exciting. (Not that it didn't require me to go out and buy supplies still)

I'd be happy to help with your flat Stanley project if you want send me an FM.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I understand how difficult it is for you, specially working FT. I liked those projects, and I used Pinterest a lot to get ideas, and Amazon Prime for quick deliveries.

DS is in 6th grade now, and he doesn't want to do anything during spirit week (only the sports day), which I completely understand... I can't imagine a 6th grader wearing pajamas to school

Try to keep it simple and google for ideas, so you can use things you have at home.

Btw when DS had to look like 100 y/o, baby powder worked great, he wore pants very high up on his waist and I gave him a pill case to carry around with him.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

It's a teacher thing.
Last year, we had this...
T shirt decorated with 100 things, dress up as a career day, queen and quarterback day (don't get me started!), silly hat day... I know I'm forgetting some.
And this year, nothing. We don't even get reminders of spirit day (and I'm certainly not going to remember which day is the last Friday of the month...)

School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I'm not a parent, but I do teach lower elementary grades. I only send home one project to do at home a year, and it's small. I sent home a simple holiday project this year, and the parents went absolutely crazy constructing this intricate displays for their child when all I had asked for was some pictures cut and glued to a suitcase I printed on regular sized paper! lol

But I don't give home projects for that reason-it's a reflection of what the parents can do, not the students. And for the students who don't have the money or support to make crazy intricate projects, I'm always afraid that it makes them feel bad when they come in with their tiny projects they clearly made themselves and then see everyone else's over the top projects. I also can't grade them, because I have no way of knowing what the students actually did and not their parents, and then I don't like displaying them because it's not a reflection of my teaching at all.

For the 100th day, don't stress. I don't do it but other classes who do always have very simple outfits. The girls are usually in dresses with cardigan sweaters, their hair is in a bun with baby powder, and if there's glasses laying around the house they wear those.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I always ask my kids what grade I got on the project. I try not to get annoyed. They don't do a lot of fun things at school anymore and I appreciate the teacher's trying to do special things. If everyone complains they'll get rid of the 100th day, pajama day etc.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I completely understand!

Yesterday, we got two half-pieces of paper with two different "projects".
one was for valentine's day- we need to bring something for the party (the list of no's is so long it's very hard to find anything) AND bring valentine's or goody bags for each of the 25 children.
the other was the 100 days project- have to bring a brown paper bag filled with 100 objects and clues for the kids to guess. I don't own brown paper bags (DS has a cloth insulated lunch bag) and i don't own 100 pieces of anything.
plus, tomorrow we have scouts and i just got the email yesterday that they are starting a new badge and we have to bring in a "healthy" snack

i only have time to shop on weekends, and i shop at costco. every time we get a project requires an extra trip to the store and extra money spent. and the worst part is, half the time we're one of the few people who actually do it!

DH is of no help either, for the 100 days project he suggested we get 100 munchkins and put them in a large trader joe's bag.

Re: School Projects/Activities etc- Long vent

I also get frustrated. My DS is in second grade - I felt like many of the projects he was assigned in K and 1st grade were way beyond what he could do independently. It's a little better this year, but there are still things I need to do (like buy supplies for his shoe box ocean scene diorama, or run to get photos printed at CVS for various assignments).

I think it's a shame that the school curriculum in the current educational environment really sucks a lot of the fun out of learning and leaves little time for creativity. I wish a lot of these projects could be incorporated into the school day, to make the curriculum more interesting for the kids. I think there is value in doing these types of projects, but not when the parent has to buy a ton of stuff and spend a ton of time. Everyone's weekends are so jam-packed these days that it's stressful to have time-consuming projects to cram in there, too.

I also wonder about the kids who don't have the support at home to do these things. Maybe the parents work two jobs or have 6 kids or don't have the money to buy all the supplies or the understanding of how to do it (language barriers, etc.). I live in a district where that is not the case for most, but I'm sure it is for some. I have a family member who teaches in a district with a lower socio-economic demographic and a lot of immigrant families where the parents don't speak English. They don't assign these types of projects because it's not fair to penalize the kids who don't do them (plus, the kids feel bad enough). They can't drive themselves to A.C. more to buy $30 worth of craft supplies!

But in places where it's reasonable to expect parents to help their kids work on these projects, it would be great if they could somehow take the place of the ordinary homework. For example, if there is a book report due, don't require reading log that week. At least then, parents and kids could allot the usual homework time to tackling the project (that should, in theory, have educational value).