I'm a gr. 11 high school student, and although I'm not a stereotypical one, I can still fill the mold to a certain degree. I find the amount of homework I have some nights is ridiculous. I think having homework in kindergarten is absolutely insane, but by the time they reach grade 2 or 3 they should be able to read a short story each week and finish any work left over from class time. I understand that homework in older grades can help perpetuate good time management skills, a vital thing in the real world. However , two 9 year olds shouldn't have to book time two weeks ahead to get together and play. I am a very busy person and i have to balance many aspects of my life's schedule (work, school time, homework, volunteering, time with my boyfriend and other friends, church events, and little thing called... ummm, sleep!). A big part of being a kid is having fun and exploring, not being frustrated with not enough time to do homework and go to soccer, dance, piano lessons, and whatever other activities they may be a part of. Learning should be something that is interesting and motivating to a curious mind to develop further, not something that exhausts and overwhelms a kid who should be trying to figure out the next cool thing to do involving a skipping rope, a basket ball and a big mud puddle. Let kids be kids and leave homework for those who can appreciate it's value as a way to reinforce and remember what they learned in class.