[Parenting] Summer vacation homework isn't just about finishing it quickly.

My son loves to "complete" things.
Stamp rallies.

Collecting stickers.
Checklists.
"All done!"

He seems to find this sense of accomplishment irresistible.
So, summer vacation homework is the same.

The moment he opens the page,

he starts writing at incredible speed.
"Oh, you're motivated today!"

I think as I watch him, but...
It's full of mistakes lol

In his mind,


it's not "doing homework,"
it's "finishing homework."

He just wants to reach the goal.
He wants to fill in all the checkboxes.

I understand that feeling well.
After all, a sense of accomplishment feels good.

Of course, it's better to finish summer homework

sooner rather than later.

It's much better than panicking at the end.
But watching him this year, I thought,

what is the purpose of homework?

Originally, it's a time to remember what you learned in the first term,
and review by saying, "Oh right, this is it."

And,
to help it stick little by little through repetition.

Thinking about it that way,
just finishing writing everything

might be a bit of a waste.
Of course,
we correct the mistakes together.

But watching my son,
by the time he finishes writing the homework,

his mind has already reached the goal lol
"Done!"
He's full of that sense of accomplishment.

So, by the time it comes to making corrections,
his mind is already on the next thing.

Sometimes I feel like the corrections
don't really sink in.

So, I tried changing the approach a little.
Instead of "finishing it quickly,"

"That's enough for today."
I decided to intentionally break it up.

At first, he seemed a bit dissatisfied,
saying, "I can still do more!"

But by the next day,
"Oh, I did this problem yesterday too."

Those kinds of comments have been increasing little by little.
Repetition,
might not be doing the same thing many times in one day,

but rather remembering it again
after some time has passed.

So, for homework,
the goal isn't to finish it quickly.

Remembering,
making mistakes,

and remembering again.
I think that repetition is the true meaning of
summer vacation homework.

...That said,
my son asked me again today,

"How many more pages until I'm all done?" lol

The battle with his desire to complete things
seems like it will continue for a while.

And, if I can use this desire well,
couldn't I get him to do various things
smoothly and enjoyably
outside of studying?!
Mom is starting to scheme lol