Trinitas Blog

On a morning not too many years ago, while standing out front opening doors and greeting the grammar children getting out of their cars, I opened the door for a boy who was navigating his book bag and lunchbox through the door of the car while at the same time trying to get a large and elaborately-colored poster through as well while attempting not to damage it. In taking the poster from him so he could get out of his mom’s car safely, I was able to see how much detail and care had been taken to make this poster dynamic.

In the process of transferring possession of his project back to him, I told him, “Nice poster, you put a lot of work into that.” To which he quickly, and honestly replied: “Thank my mom, she did most of it.” I felt a bit perplexed, but not surprised, as I watched him hustle the rest of the way into the front doors of the grammar building to turn in “his” poster to his teacher.

(This post is the conclusion of our recent five-part series on homework. Check below for links to each of the proceeding parts.)

Yes, in the end homework is a necessity. It is part of the student’s life if he is to receive a quality education. Teachers, students, and parents can work together, though, to make homework more than something we just bear. Homework is a vehicle to learn time management, self-discipline, and work ethic. But it is also an opportunity for family time and passing down the skills of life from adults to children. I encourage you to do more than merely survive it; rather, embrace it. Homework is as much a part of life as baseball and beach vacations. To think less of it is to amputate from your family some very important time and lessons together. Embrace it and do it well. Both you and your children will be the better for it.

I used to think our little house in the country was ideal for raising children, but eventually our children got old enough to leave the comfort of that little country house and go to school. Then I realized that the fifty minutes we spent commuting back and forth to school each day added up to 8,500 minutes (almost 142 hours!) of time spent in an enclosed space with children in the course of just one school year. That realization along with the other stresses of commuting caused me despair…until I learned how to use all that time for the benefit of both children and parents! What follows are three blessings we’ve received from using our school commute wisely.