Oh please. Ridiculous. My kids were expected to do at least two hours of either homework or chores, take your pick. Or once 14, a paid job could take that place. In our area, middle school students go to school 7:30-3:00 give or take and high school kids are out even earlier. With the exception of those that are heavily involved in sports/art/theatre, what are they doing for the 6-7 free hours after school? Dont’ answer that lol.
My son had about two hours of homework in his first year of high school and decided that was too much so with grades going down due to his decreasing disinterest in academics, he transferred to a selective tech school. In the end, that meant he wasn’t college material (and that’s okay, he’s doing just fine). But…he continued to play both football and baseball and work part-time. D does about 3-4 hours each night (and I think she enjoys it lol) and about 10 hours of community service each week so she isn’t expected to work.
There is no way I’d allow a child of mine to not have something “to do” for many hours every day. I’m a firm believeer in down-time and very much against the helicoptering of overscheduling so there is no down-time, but kids with too much time on their hands means trouble. My son would go fishing, boating, help his grandfather around the yard, babysit his younger sister. Idle hands…