T he letter I received from out of town contained a plea for help and guidance from a frum father navigating a particularly onerous challenge in chinuch habanim — and a relatively new one.
My son spends close to eight hours in school. When he arrives back at home we want to be able to kick back and relax together. We would also love to be able to spend the time with him and our other children pressure-free playing a game having a catch reading or just stam schmoozing — which by the way all psychologists say is invaluable and the foundation of creating a warm relationship.
Instead after supper is over a big dark cloud begins to descend over our home. A nightly point of contention begins to roil creating a negative and toxic atmosphere in our home.
It’s called homework.
This father is hardly alone. Countless other parents have expressed similar sentiments lamenting the fact that after a long day in school — particularly girls’ schools — our children are expected to spend hours on homework.
