why should kids not have homework

Kids should not have homework, many experts and parents argue, because it adds stress without clear academic benefits, cuts into family and play time, and can deepen inequality between students.

Why Should Kids Not Have Homework?

Homework is one of the most debated topics in schools right now, and a lot of teachers, parents, and students are questioning whether it really helps. Homework often turns evenings into a “second shift” of school instead of a time to rest, recharge, and just be a kid.

1. Little Proven Academic Benefit

Many education writers and researchers argue that homework does not clearly improve learning, especially for younger students.

• Authors like Alfie Kohn point out that when studies are stronger, they often find little to no academic benefit from homework, particularly in elementary and middle school.

• Some students just end up repeating what they already did in class, which can feel like busywork rather than real learning.

• If homework is just cramming for tests that students forget in a week, critics say it may actually harm long‑term interest in learning rather than help it.

2. Stress, Anxiety, and Health Problems

A major reason people say kids should not have homework is the mental and physical pressure it creates.

• A Stanford‑linked study mentioned by student writers found that too much homework is tied to higher stress, more physical health problems, and less life balance for students in high‑achieving communities.

• Many students report that heavy homework loads leave them exhausted, frustrated, and less interested in learning, turning schoolwork into something they dread.

• Kids in news features have said that when homework piles up, the quality of their work drops and it becomes more harmful than helpful.

3. Less Time for Family, Play, and Real Life

Evenings are often the only time kids have to build family relationships, rest, and explore their interests.

• Critics say homework eats into family time, making nights about checking assignments instead of talking, playing, or doing activities together.

• Parents have described how homework turns them into “enforcers,” damaging their relationship with their children because every night becomes a battle over schoolwork.

• Kids miss out on free play, hobbies, sports, and simply relaxing—things that help them grow socially, emotionally, and physically.

4. Homework Can Be Unfair and Inequitable

Another big argument is that homework does not affect all kids equally.

• When assignments assume that parents can help, they often disadvantage kids whose families are working multiple jobs, who don’t speak the school language fluently, or who did not go to college.

• Surveys of families show that homework fights are much more likely in homes where parents don’t have college degrees, leading to stress and kids feeling “dumb” even when the problem is the system, not them.

• Some analyses describe homework as a practice that tends to favor students with more resources and a quiet place to study, widening existing gaps instead of closing them.

5. Takes Away From Healthy Childhood Experiences

Many people believe childhood should include time to explore, play, and develop life skills—not just academic work.

• Children who help with chores and participate in family life often build responsibility, time‑management, and a healthier work–life balance, but heavy homework can crowd this out.

• Students themselves argue that after six hours of school, adding more academic tasks at home just steals time from sports, exercise, and creative activities that keep them active and happy.

• Critics say that when kids are taught that constant academic work is the only path to success, they may grow up seeing their worth only in grades and future earnings.

6. What People Are Saying Online

This question is very much a trending topic in forums, opinion sites, and youth media.

• Debate and opinion platforms host long threads where students complain about stress and call for homework bans or strict limits, while some commenters argue for minimal, well‑designed homework instead.

• Youth news outlets feature kids who say homework is “pointless” when it only repeats classwork, and that no‑homework or low‑homework policies would be better for their health and happiness.

7. Balanced View: Should All Homework Disappear?

Even among critics, some say the problem is not homework itself but how much and what kind.

• A more moderate view is that if homework exists, it should be short, meaningful, and not assigned every day, especially for younger students.

• Supporters of limited homework argue it can help practice skills—if it is small in amount, clearly useful, and doesn’t require heavy parental help.

In simple terms, people who argue that kids should not have homework believe that the costs—stress, lost family time, inequality, and reduced love of learning—are greater than any proven academic gain.

TL;DR: Many teachers, parents, researchers, and students say kids should not have homework because it adds stress, hurts health, steals family and play time, and often fails to improve learning, especially for younger children.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.