The Top 3 Advantages And Disadvantages Of Homework

Particularly in recent years, there’s been a lot of discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of homework. Some people firmly believe that homework is necessary for kids to get the most out of their schooling, but many believe that it accomplishes nothing aside from stressing children out during their time off.

So in this article, I thought I’d discuss some points from both sides. And then, at the end of the post, share my opinion on this homework debate.

Let’s get started!

The Advantages Of Homework

Although we’re going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of homework in this post, I want to start with the advantages. Which include…

1. It Helps Students Memorize What They Learned At School

The most obvious benefit of homework is that provides children with more opportunities to practice the concepts they learned during the day. And studies show that they may need this extra time, as many children only retain about half of what they learn in school!

This makes a lot of sense, as repetition is key if you want to memorize something. And furthermore, the learning that kids do in school isn’t always the most active. Meaning that they’re listening more than actually putting the knowledge into action, whereas with homework… the opposite is true.

2. It Allows Them To Build Studying-Related Skills

It’s no secret that as you progress further into your academic career, you have to start being a lot more actively involved with your own learning in order to succeed. Because once you reach college, you have to a large bulk of the studying all on your own! And in certain careers, the ability to research and learn is valued as well.

So homework is also beneficial because it teaches kids another type of learning, the type you can do from home! In other words, they’ll learn valuable research/study skills that will benefit them for their rest of their schooling; and potentially beyond…

3. It Allows Parents To Be More Involved With Their Kid’s Education

Finally, children having homework gives parents a chance to help their children learn! And not only is this good for bonding, but it could actually help parents make better decisions for their kiddos in the long run.

For instance, if a parent notices a weak spot in their child’s education then they could correct it. Alternatively, they may be able to better identify how their child learns the best. In some cases, helping with homework can even be the way that parents figure out that their kids have learning disabilities.

The Disadvantages Of Homework

But of course, you can’t discuss the advantages and disadvantages of homework without covering the cons… So now it’s time to talk about some of the main reasons why people say homework should no longer exist.

1. It Stresses Kids Out

First and foremost, the issue with homework is that it often results in more stress for children. Especially as they progress in school, and get handed more difficult assignments.

And as we all know, stress isn’t good for adults. So imagine how much more detrimental stress can be on a growing child! Homework has been known to cause anxiety, sleep deprivation, and of course… exhaustion. Plus, aside from these things being bad for a child’s health, they also don’t lead to effective learning the next day at school either…

2. It Cuts Down On Time For Other Activities

Just like adults need time away from work, children need time away from school. After all, not only do they need to be able to enjoy their childhood, but there are a lot of things to experience and learn outside of formal education as well! Some of which is equally (if not more) enriching to a child.

But the issue with homework, is that it significantly cuts into a child’s free time. Because once they’re done with school, done with their homework, and finished with anything necessary at home (like dinner or bathing)… it’s basically time for bed. So that they can get up early and do it all over again.

3. It Isn’t Even Always As Effective As It Could Be

And final issue that many people bring up in regards to homework is the fact that it isn’t even always effective! This is due to many factors, like the specific school system and even the grade. For example, studies have shown that most primary school homework is basically useless.

But obviously, because of all the other disadvantages I’ve brought up during this article, it’s especially discouraging to think that all of it is for nothing. And that homework doesn’t actually serve our children as much as we may be led to think.

Final Thoughts – Do Kids Need Homework?

So, with all of the main advantages and disadvantages of homework in mind… I have to say that my personal opinion on the matter is somewhere in the middle of the two sides.

On one hand, I do think homework can be incredibly beneficial. So I don’t believe it should be completely removed from the education system. But on the other, I do think it could be refined to be more effective! And specifically, I think there should be less of it.

I’m curious to know what your thoughts are though, so feel free to leave your opinions in the comments! As always, thanks for reading. And if you’re interested in more parenting content (like this article on the four main parenting types) then please consider checking out more of my blog.