Grade 4 is a culture shock, but mostly for the Mom

Grade four is a total different ball game here! The children start changing between classes and they start writing tests and exams. The pace is also much faster than the previous grades. Miss Fine has been taking it all in her stride, but we (the parents) feel a little bit overwhelmed.

We have to make sure that we are abreast of her calendar and her homework, A standard request each day is to immediately take out her homework book so that we could check if there is something new. I am writing this down for future reference. We feel like we are doing grade four for the first time, but our grade four, way back when, surely did not involve as much as this? Even 15 years ago with the eldest it was not so tough!



Not only is the homework more, and the pace faster, but Miss has signed up for extra sport, choir, dance and drama at school. I have slotted in all her activities in my own diary so that I can keep pace, and keep reminding her each day.

 Why is Grade Four so different?

- They have six subjects now, each with their own bag that gets a place in the extremely heavy schoolbag. In her case it's a Cadii school case which feels like a ton of bricks. But all the children pull it around.

- They have to prepare for a test each week. We have decided that a Sunday afternoon is the best time to make summaries for the upcoming test. It gives us a bit of a head start.

- In the meantime they get homework in each subject as well, and sometimes there's been a poster that has to be made in two day's time. Or a speech that has to be prepared, although they get more notice than just a week.

- They have to learn extra spelling each week. (That's not different from the previous grades, but it adds on the workload)

- The parents have to check the homework books daily to make sure that we don't miss an upcoming test, poster. speech or extra learning.

- We were told we can't leave them to their own devices this year, and I can see the reasoning behind it. They need a bit a lot of guidance and time management. 



As a mom I feel overwhelmed. Maybe it's just me? Maybe it's because I am a working full-time, and at the end of the day our patience has faded quite a bit?


How do  you cope with Grade 4?