https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 23:20:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897952 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 21:46:00 +0000 crazydoglady 2897952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: Word. I don't assign homework. Homework is classwork you weren't able to finish in class. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897951 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 21:24:52 +0000 ALV91711 2897951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is in grade 1 and hasn’t had any projects yet. But when he does he can do them. They are his homework, not mine. Of course I’ll help if needed and wanted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897947 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 20:55:44 +0000 wrkbrk 2897947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: Funny this is coming up.<br /> For my son’s first day of preschool he had to decorate a sign for his cubby with pictures of his family and things he loves. Obviously he couldn’t do that alone at 3. I let him scribble on it and didn’t give it another thought - until - I saw some of the others. Then I’m ashamed to say I went to print out family photos and redid it myself 😩 such the wrong lesson to teach him! But like others, I wanted him to feel that his cubby was as nice as all the other kids’..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897942 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:22:43 +0000 SweetCaroline 2897942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she had to decorate a pumpkin, I might ask her if she wanted to use painter's tape to outline areas to be painted as eyes, etc. That's all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897931 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 18:00:35 +0000 lady baltimore 2897931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is only three, but other than providing supplies and brainstorming support, I let her do her own thing with anything that comes home from school. I was kind of put out, however, by the exemplars sent home with a "decorate a gingerbread man" project last year - the sheet of directions was covered with total Pinterest bait! My LO smeared hers with glitter glue and called it a day. :silly:</p> <p>As a teacher, I don't believe in homework for primary grade students, so as @DesertDreams88: talked about, it will be interesting to figure out how I want to navigate this once LO gets to elementary school. Right now, I treat anything that comes home as totally optional (which is what her teachers say that it should be). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897921 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:01:16 +0000 nwm 2897921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: yes, this!!! i am a working parent. if you are giving my child an assignment that they can't complete without help, then it is not age appropriate, and it shouldn't be assigned! we are looking at a variety of schools for next year and this is a really critical issue for me, but not sure how to raise/ask it without sounding like a whiner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897918 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:58:33 +0000 DesertDreams88 2897918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: but, if I had this situation, I'd email the parent, or do a blanket email and talk about the philosophy and reason for homework / projects. If I was brave, I'd tell them, "Please don't rob them of the opportunity to learn" - which is what I say when my students shout out answers during think time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897917 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:52:06 +0000 DesertDreams88 2897917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: I don't have that issue at all and never have. I work in a 100% free lunch school, with about 1/3 of my parents only speaking Spanish. Very, very few helicoptering parents! On the downside, some parents are impossible to get ahold of. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897914 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:04:12 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2897914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 5 year old doesn’t get much, but he would never let me take over. His projects are very clearly done by a 5 year old. 😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897913 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:43:34 +0000 Anagram 2897913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends on the project. We've only had 2-3 and they've always been what has to be a parent-involved project. So I let my kids take the lead with brainstorming options, and they get to pick what we do. Then, if they need help gathering supplies or drawing a particular thing, I help. And they do the age appropriate parts, like coloring or painting. </p> <p>My 6 year old is very opinionated, so I could never fully do a project for her anyway. But she's also very creative and imaginative, which is a nice way of saying that sometimes she dreams up projects that are totally impossible or require supplies that I'm just not going to attempt to source. So we definitely collaborate.</p> <p>Ex: She had to build an animal habitat last year, and she wanted to do a certain type of shark. That was fine with me. We brainstormed ideas for the environment and for the shark itself. She wanted a glass or clear box, actually filled with water, with a shark on some type of string/fishing line that could be moved back and forth in the box. :shocked: I said that was a GREAT IDEA, but we needed to do something with supplies we could easily get on hand, so we instead used a shoebox that we painted greens and blues, and we used leftover birthday decorations (she'd had a mermaid party the year before, so I still had some "under the sea" stuff), and we made the shark from the cardboard of an old amazon box and painted it, etc. She did all the painting, I gathered the supplies. My husband cut out the shark (cutting cardboard is hard for a 5 year old, go figure), and DD hotglued the leftover birthday decorations with my help. </p> <p>As she gets older and can handle hot glue and cutting thick cardboard by herself, then she can finish projects totally alone. But for now, we work on it together. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897910 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:14:29 +0000 Grace 2897910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: do you do anything to prevent parents from doing their kid’s work in your class? Just curious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897903 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 10:23:33 +0000 DesertDreams88 2897903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: I might be that uppity teacher-mom who writes a nice letter along the lines of "Our family will not be doing the homework. We will instead play, laugh, talk, do chores, eat together, and go to bed at a decent hour. We will ask and answer questions, and have enriching experiences. If you have any questions about our homework philosophy, please ask." </p> <p>But that's a fine line to tread when you also want to teach your kids to respect their teacher; and when you want a reservoir of goodwill with the teacher. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897900 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:53:59 +0000 Jennibenni 2897900@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: Yes, that is a whole other topic! My niece in first grade has a pretty significant homework load which I think is just bonkers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897895 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:40:01 +0000 DesertDreams88 2897895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a pet peeve of mine as an K-8 teacher. Homework is for STUDENTS, not for parents. Also, research shows that the benefits of homework (even projects) is questionable in K-2....<br /> I even don't love the idea of "family projects" - my family already IS a project! As if I don't have enough sh!t to do as a working mom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897893 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:25:21 +0000 hitchhiker 2897893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kid (1st grade) wouldn't let me near her projects if I wanted to! I was annoyed about the 100th day of school project last year in K, because she did her own thing and it was a mess (but her own beautiful mess) and the ones displayed in the class were clearly not done by students. I had to have a little internal conversation with myself every time I saw it, because they were beautiful (and I was a little jealous). But in the end I would rather have her take the initiative to do her work herself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897890 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:22:39 +0000 Becky 2897890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as what everyone else said. I’ve only tried to do maybe 3 Pinterest-y things as a project to display at home or give as a gift and my kids HATED it. They love to get creative and do their own thing. Thus far they haven’t cared if their projects are less polished than anyone else’s, but if they said something I would explain that so and so’s parents probably helped them on it, but that the assignment was meant for the children, and I’m so proud of her for doing it on her own, and love her creativity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897888 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:15:22 +0000 Corduroy 2897888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD (1st grade) has projects called "family projects". I usually help her with parts she can't do on her own like finding magazines she can cut out or photos. She doesn't want my help so I don't give much but usually I'll sit there with her while she does it (to do my part 😀). </p> <p>Most recently she made the cover of her 1st grade folder. It's supposed to have pictures of her and the things she loves (as writing prompts I think). Most of the page is a picture of herself as a baby playing with a jar of mayo (printed at her request). Random, but you do you girl. I have no idea what anyone else's folder looks like. I'd probably be less confident if I did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897880 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:42:36 +0000 graceandjoy 2897880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would be irked, but I would've done the same as you. It's their project and I'd only help if needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897876 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:25:55 +0000 shabang 2897876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KT326: I've had that exact same experience with an about me paper!</p> <p>Mine do their own. Or they don't. If they ask, I'll help, but there are no pinterest masterpieces coming out of our house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897875 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:25:54 +0000 macintosh 2897875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: oh HELL no lol! I would be so annoyed. I remember when DS was 2 and the daycare wanted an "all about me" poster. I printed out photos and also got out the stickers and let him go to town all over it. When I saw other finished products they were mostly printed photo collages done on a computer - I could have easily done that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897874 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:22:51 +0000 KT326 2897874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, my kids do their own projects. I might help with certain things but for the most part they do it on their own. </p> <p>My 2.5 year old was sent home with an about me paper to fill out and bring back. I filled it out but I think I’m the only one who let him color it (well scribble all over it!). All the others are perfectly colored or decorated. </p> <p>My second grader doesn’t want my help anyway! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-let-your-kids-do-their-own-projects#post-2897871 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 07:42:51 +0000 Jennibenni 2897871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Backstory: Our daycare asked for each kid to decorate a pumpkin and bring it in this week for their fall display. I let my four year old have at it with paint and my 1 year old wasn't too interested so I basically did his but tried to get him to add some paint. Dropped ours off the first day and so far all the other pumpkins are Pinterest projects done by the parents. It makes me kind of irritated both for my 4 year old who might think his isn't as good and for the other kids who clearly didn't get to help with theirs. :( </p> <p>Do you do your kids' projects for school for them? </p>