When I was in school, I didn't view homework as a complete drag. Of course it wasn't the most exciting thing I could've done with my time, but I completed it with little-to-no help from my parents and somehow managed to graduate. Man, how times have changed. Now, the frequent struggles of having kids with homework too hard for me to adequately help with are a daily challenge and boy, oh boy, the struggle is so, so real it almost hurts to type.
My oldest is in fourth grade this year and, for the first time, she's failing. Another first for her? She actually hates school and, at this point, I'm pretty sure the two are related. In previous years she excelled in all subjects (except listening, but that's nether here nor there) and maintained a chipper attitude in regard to homework, school work, and all things school-related. Now? Now I have to practically drag her to the table where her homework is located, sit down with her, and, eventually, we both find ourselves in arguments and tears for one reason or another. I hate it and she hates it and every day, Monday through Friday, this is our life.
She recently brought home the latest "progress report" and in it we discovered the reason for the tears and the procrastination and why she doesn't want to go to school, let alone complete the homework that's frequently sent home with her. It's because it's hard. It's not sort-of hard, like, for a fourth grader, but hard as in I'm unable to get through it. So, if this is the way a kid's education has to be and I want her to succeed, what's a mother to do? No, really?
The reality is, she has to go to school and get good grades to (eventually) graduate and move on with her life and accomplish whatever it is she wants and sets out to accomplish. However, getting from A to B sometimes seems impossible, especially when the homework is way too hard for her (and me). With that in mind, here are some struggles every parent can relate to when they have a kid with homework that's just way too hard.