Summer Homework

I'm a big supporter of summer homework. I know that some parents are for it and some are against it. I see both arguments. The against argument: let kids be kids. Let the kids have fun and goof around. If you give them homework then YOU have to grade it or at the very least look it over. So really, you're just creating more work for yourself. What's the point of summer homework? 

First, I give my daughter lots of free time. I do not give her homework every day. The days she has homework, the homework doesn't take hours to do. She has plenty of time to just be a kid and relax and/or play. 

Yes, I 'grade' it. I don't actually give her a grade. We just look over it together and correct mistakes. The whole point of summer homework is to prevent her from forgetting everything over the summer. I know that without practice she will not forget EVERYTHING over the summer. But from experience, I know the skills she just learned will be forgotten without practice. 

Every summer we do homework. She participates in the summer reading program through the library. I never have to encourage her to read. She loves to read. Participating in the summer reading, program is just an added incentive for her. 

For math review, I have a few apps on my iPad. One of my favorite is Math Loops. It is practice for mental math (adding, subtracting, multiplication, and division). It is easy but drills the math facts for her. We also love IXL. She uses her login from school. 

For grammar, spelling, and writing, I have workbooks for our homeschool days. We focus on skills that are harder for her. Writing is her least favorite part of school. I encourage developing this area through journal writing. Sometimes I give her a topic sentence. Other times I have her do free writing. Some days I make her edit her writing to check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Other days I just let her write. 

I know it is not her favorite part of summer. I know she'd rather do just about anything. I also know that one day she will look back and realize I did this for her own good.